As of: 06/16/2022 3:03 p.m
After his visit to the devastated Kiev suburb of Irpin, Chancellor Scholz condemned the brutality of the Russian attack. He is currently advising President Selenskyj and other EU heads of government on aid for Ukraine.
During his visit to the Kiev suburb of Irpin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his shock at the damage caused by the war. “Innocent civilians have been affected, and a city has been destroyed that had no military infrastructure at all.” That says a lot “about the brutality of the Russian war of aggression, which is simply aimed at destruction and conquest,” said the Chancellor. Russia is driving the war “with the greatest brutality without regard to human life”.
Signs of war crimes
French President Emmanuel Macron, who also traveled to Kyiv with Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis, made a similar statement. He spoke of signs of “war crimes and massacres” by Russian forces. He condemned the “barbarity” of the attacks and praised the bravery of soldiers and local residents who resisted Russian troops.
Hundreds of bodies were found in Irpin after Russian troops left. Following the first indications of torture, executions and the killing of scores of civilians discovered in Bucha, another Kyiv suburb, in mid-March, accusations have been leveled against Russia of committing war crimes. Germany is also supporting the international investigations.
Roman Gonscharenko, Deutsche Welle, currently Kyiv, on Scholz’s visit to the devastated suburb of Irpin
6/16/2022 12:45 p.m
Deliberations in the Presidential Palace
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj then received the four statesmen in the Presidential Palace in Kyiv. He thanked them for their visit and support for his country. “We really appreciate your solidarity with our country and our people.”
The deliberations are about further aid for Kyiv. An important point, which the Ukrainian side repeatedly emphasizes, is the supply of arms. Zelenskyj calls for significantly more heavy weapons such as tanks, rocket launchers and artillery pieces. This is the only way to resist Russian superiority.
Scholz had kept a low profile on this so far, but stressed before arriving that the financial, humanitarian and military aid would be provided for as long as it was necessary “for Ukraine’s struggle for independence”. Upon arrival at the Kiev train station, Macron also emphasized that France, Germany and Italy wanted to send out a “sign of European solidarity” with Ukraine with this visit.
Lambrecht promises howitzers will be delivered soon
In the morning, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht again stated that Germany would provide three Mars II multiple rocket launchers and train Ukrainian soldiers on them. in the joint morning magazine from ARD and ZDF the SPD politician also announced that the delivery of already promised self-propelled howitzers is imminent. “The training is almost complete. And now the Ukrainian soldiers who have been trained can be transferred to the Ukraine with the tank howitzers,” said Lambrecht. The Gepard tanks are also to be delivered to Ukraine soon.
In addition to military and humanitarian aid, the possible candidate status of Ukraine for EU accession is also at the center of the deliberations in Kyiv. Probably tomorrow, the EU Commission could give its vote whether or not to recommend Ukraine as such a candidate.
“Very clear commitment that Ukraine should receive EU candidate status,” Tina Hassel, ARD Berlin, on Chancellor Scholz’s visit to Kyiv
Tagesschau 11:00 a.m., June 16, 2022
More than just a photo op
Criticism of Scholz had increased since the beginning of the war because he had not traveled to Ukraine. Other high-ranking politicians, however, have already met with Zelenskyy, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the heads of government of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. Several politicians from Germany had already traveled to Ukraine: Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was in Kyiv about five weeks ago, and CDU leader Friedrich Merz and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas also came.
Scholz, however, had repeatedly emphasized that he did not want to “join in a group of people who do something for a short in and out with a photo shoot”. It is expected that his visit will be coupled with concrete promises of further support for Ukraine.