live blog
Ukrainian President Zelenskyj has landed in Berlin, where he plans to attend the reconstruction conference for his country. Rheinmetall and Ukraine have opened their first joint tank repair plant. Follow the developments in the live blog.
Development Minister Svenja Schulze expects a strong signal of cooperation from the reconstruction conference for Ukraine, which begins today. “For two days, people from all over the world will come together here in Berlin who not only believe in a better future for Ukraine, but are also working towards it in concrete terms. This conference shows that a strong alliance is behind Ukraine: 60 states, hundreds of companies, municipalities and representatives of civil society,” the minister told the dpa news agency before the meeting.
Russia attacked Ukraine in violation of international law and Ukraine therefore deserves “our unwavering support.” She continued: “Ukraine is also defending our security and freedom.” Even under war conditions, it is important to tackle reconstruction. Schulze said: “Ukraine has no choice. It cannot wait until the war ends. People now need a roof over their heads, electricity, water and hospitals.” The country also needs civilian support in order to survive the war. “It needs doctors, electricians and craftsmen as well as tanks,” said Schulze.
CDU foreign policy expert Jürgen Hardt praised the international Ukraine reconstruction conference as an “impressive political and economic sign of solidarity.” The conference, which begins today in Berlin, gives the people of Ukraine hope, said the foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group to the dpa news agency in Berlin.
“The conference shows that the free world is able and willing to transform Ukraine into a modern and free country. Ukraine’s potential is enormous. A prosperous Ukraine will be a benefit for Germany in particular,” said Hardt. The Ukrainians’ path to NATO and the EU will receive a new boost from the conference.
Around 2,000 representatives from politics, business and international organizations are expected to attend the reconstruction conference. It is not a donor conference to raise money for reconstruction, but rather a networking event for the relevant actors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has landed in Berlin, where he plans to take part in the reconstruction conference for his country. He plans to open the meeting together with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with whom talks are also planned, as Zelensky announced on Platform X. In the afternoon, the Ukrainian head of state also plans to give a speech in the Bundestag.
It is Zelensky’s third visit to Berlin since the beginning of the Russian invasion more than two years ago. “In view of Russia’s air terror, urgent solutions for the Ukrainian energy sector will be our top priority,” Zelensky said. He wants to talk to Scholz about further support for defense, the expansion of the Ukrainian air defense system and joint weapons production. Positions should also be coordinated before the peace conference planned for June 15 and 16 in Switzerland.
Meetings with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas are also planned. Zelensky also wants to visit a military base where Ukrainian soldiers are being trained.
Following the Russian air strikes against the Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the Kiev School of Economics (KSE) has calculated total damages of 56.2 billion US dollars (52 billion euros) in a study. This also includes financial losses incurred by energy companies due to a lack of revenue, according to an analysis published by the experts on Monday. Around 50.5 billion US dollars are needed to restore the destroyed or damaged infrastructure.
According to the Kiev study, the direct losses as of May due to the destruction of energy infrastructure amounted to 16.1 billion US dollars. Electricity plants, power lines and also facilities in the oil and gas sector were particularly affected. The loss due to lost revenue for energy companies amounts to around 40 billion US dollars.
According to information from Kiev, the German arms company Rheinmetall and Ukraine have opened their first joint tank repair shop and production facility. The keys to the workshop for the repair and maintenance of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle have been handed over, the Ukrainian Ministry for Strategic Industries announced in Kiev on Monday. “The opening of a joint production facility with Rheinmetall is not only a step towards Ukraine’s victory, but also an important stage in the construction of the arsenal of the free world,” said Minister Olexandr Kamyshin in a statement. Rheinmetall boss Armin Papperger was also seen in a bulletproof vest in a photo published by the ministry.
In May last year, Rheinmetall had already set up a joint venture with the Ukrainian arms company Ukroboronprom for the repair and maintenance of armored vehicles in Ukraine. According to the Kyiv Defense Ministry, the first joint service center will enable rapid repair and maintenance of German equipment directly in Ukraine. This should significantly increase the efficiency of the armed forces. Ukrainian specialists work in the joint production facility, while representatives of the German company take over technical supervision, according to a statement.
Development Minister Schulze is calling for new sources of funding for the reconstruction of Ukraine. 90 countries have so far confirmed their participation in the Swiss peace conference. Read about Monday’s developments.