Ukraine
Zelensky visits US-Europe headquarters
General Christopher Cavoli, commander of US European Command, meets with Volodymyr Zelensky (l), President of Ukraine, to discuss further military support for the defense of the Ukrainian people. photo
© Susanne Goebel/US European Command Public Affairs/dpa
The Ukrainian president comes unexpectedly to Germany. In Wiesbaden he meets with representatives of the US military. The release of new aid for Ukraine is currently blocked in the US Parliament.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the European headquarters of the US armed forces in Wiesbaden during his unannounced visit to Germany. Zelenskyj confirmed this on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote: “Once again, I was impressed by the excellent quality of U.S. military assistance to the Ukraine can convince. We urgently need them for victory!” He added that he expected that the US Congress would soon decide to continue the aid.
On a trip lasting several days, Zelensky had previously visited Washington, where the hoped-for help was stuck in the dispute between Republicans and Democrats.
Today Zelenskyj’s plane landed in Frankfurt, from where he was driven – accompanied by a police escort – to the Clay barracks in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. According to the US military, the president met with General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
The two discussed ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine to meet urgent battlefield needs – including the recent $200 million (around 182 million euros) in military aid provided by the United States, the regional command said . These are already approved funds. The release of new aid is currently blocked in the US Parliament.
The conversation was also about the ongoing efforts to train the Ukrainian armed forces, it was said. Zelensky also met with representatives of the international contact group for coordinating arms deliveries to Ukraine.
US Parliament blocks further aid to Ukraine
Zelenskyj met with US President Joe Biden and members of Congress in the US capital Washington on Tuesday to ask for further support for the country attacked by Russia. Biden left no doubt about his fundamental stance that the USA must continue to support Ukraine. But he also dampened Zelensky’s expectations that further US aid would be approved quickly – although he once again warned clearly about the consequences. According to the government in Washington, the US aid approved so far for Ukraine will be used up by the end of the year.
After the visit to Wiesbaden, Zelenskyj flew out of Frankfurt Airport again, as a spokesman for the federal police there confirmed early in the evening. The new destination was not announced. The short visit coincided with the struggle at the EU summit in Brussels to agree to accession negotiations for Ukraine.