Visit to Poland
Steinmeier’s Ukraine trip bursts – “Not wanted in Kyiv”
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gives a statement to press representatives in the German embassy about the cancellation of the trip to Kyiv. Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Since the beginning of the war, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has received heads of government from six Western countries in Kyiv. The German head of state, on the other hand, is not wanted there.
A planned trip by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Kyiv fell through because he is obviously not welcome there. “I was ready for it.
But apparently – and I have to take note – that was not wanted in Kyiv, »said Steinmeier on Tuesday during a visit to Warsaw. In the past few days, Polish President Andrzej Duda had suggested that they travel to the Ukrainian capital together with the heads of state of the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, “to send and set a strong sign of common European solidarity with Ukraine ». This is no longer the case.
The Ukrainian Ambassador Andrij Melnyk had already made it clear at the weekend that Ukraine is more likely to expect a visit from Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) than from Steinmeier. A trip to Kyiv by the Federal President would only be of a symbolic nature, he told the German Press Agency. “It would be better for the Chancellor or other members of the federal government to come and make concrete decisions about further massive support for Ukraine.” Ukraine is demanding the delivery of heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery pieces.
Steinmeier had already signaled on Friday that he had travel plans for Kyiv. “Of course I’m also thinking about when the right time is for my next visit to Kyiv.” Those plans are now lapsed. And that despite the fact that top Western politicians are now shaking hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The heads of government from Poland, Great Britain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia have already traveled to Kyiv to strengthen Ukraine’s back in the fight against the Russian attackers. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was there on Friday.
Three traffic light politicians on a solidarity visit to Ukraine
Three leading parliamentarians from the traffic light coalition arrived in Ukraine from Germany on Tuesday – not in the capital Kyiv, however, but in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. There, the chairmen of the committees for foreign affairs, defense and Europe – Michael Roth (SPD), Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) and Anton Hofreiter (Greens) – wanted to meet members of the Ukrainian parliament Rada. All three politicians had recently called for more speed in arms deliveries.
It is the highest-ranking German politicians who have been visiting Ukraine since the start of the war seven weeks ago. The SPD member of the Bundestag, Frank Schwabe, was there last week with a delegation from the Council of Europe.
In Warsaw, Steinmeier thanked Poland for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine and promised the EU partner further German support. “I feel really deep respect and also great gratitude for the generous and well-organized reception of the refugees here in Poland,” he said after a conversation with Duda.
At the joint press conference, clear differences became apparent in terms of military support for Ukraine and liberation from energy dependence on Russia. Duda described that Poland was planning to buy weapons for the Polish armed forces in order to modernize them.
Evasive answer to tank request
Steinmeier pointed out that the federal government had already made decisions such as the special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr, which Germany had not expected. In addition, weapons are now being delivered not only to a zone of tension but also to a war zone. When asked whether this would also include heavy weapons such as tanks in the future, Steinmeier answered evasively.
Steinmeier said that Germany wanted to reduce its purchases of oil and gas as quickly as possible. “But we also say that with a view to our economic structure, which includes a strong chemical industry, things are not going quite as quickly as some would like at the moment.” The one who pronounces the sanctions should not harm himself more than the sanctioned.
Duda made it clear that Poland had started diversifying its energy supply years ago. He hopes that Poland will be independent of gas imports from Russia as early as next autumn.