Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Monday. In the early morning he arrived in Kiev by train, where he also wanted to meet government officials. Also present: a seven-strong business delegation. Habeck wants the presence of the business representatives to be understood as the central message of his trip: He only wanted to come, he said on Deutschlandfunk, “if there is something from my area of responsibility that I can bring with me”. Now the moment has come for the German economy to say: “We’ll be back.”
In Jahidne, Habeck met with President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the northern Ukrainian village, Russian troops crammed 350 residents into a basement last March. Eleven did not survive the inhumane conditions, according to Zelensky. “All our partners need to see these cellars to understand that they have to help Ukraine,” he said.
It is the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that a German business delegation has traveled to the war-torn country. The representatives included the President of the BDI Industry Association, Siegfried Russwurm, the General Manager of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Martin Wansleben, and the Managing Director of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, Michael Harms.
Arrival in Kiev: Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck is in Ukraine for political talks.
(Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa)
After his arrival, Habeck emphasized that the trip was a sign to Ukraine “that we believe that it will be victorious, that it will be rebuilt, that there is an interest in Europe not only to provide support in times of need, but that Ukraine will also be an economically strong partner in the future”.
Ukraine has always succeeded in rebuilding destroyed infrastructure in a short time and in protecting it better against Russian attacks, said Habeck, referring to the numerous Russian rocket attacks on the country’s electricity and heat supply. However, Ukraine’s wish and strategic plans are “to make the energy system broader and more decentralized”. This is also an “invitation to decarbonize”, i.e. to turn away from fossil fuels. “In this respect, two things fit together quite well: the need for security and a sustainable energy system.” Ukraine could become an energy exporter to Europe.
After visiting a substation belonging to the energy group Ukrenergo, Habeck announced that Germany wanted to relaunch its energy partnership with Ukraine, which has existed since 2020. Since the beginning of the war, the focus has been on emergency aid, for example to rebuild destroyed power or gas lines as quickly as possible. Increasingly, it should now be more about the medium and long-term reconstruction of the Ukrainian energy system.
The DIHK boss Wansleben who traveled with him said Süddeutsche Zeitungthat many German companies are still active in Ukraine. They would not have withdrawn when the Russian war of aggression began. “That can be a good basis when it comes to supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine, which has already begun.” Construction, transport, municipal infrastructure and energy should be given priority. “The trip with Federal Economics Minister Habeck is a signal and an offer from German industry to help shape the reconstruction of Ukraine together with the Ukrainians,” said Wansleben. It also serves to identify possible obstacles. “We must then try to solve these in a timely manner in talks with the federal government, insurers, but also with the European partner countries.”
It is evidently similar in industry. In an as yet unpublished article on reconstruction in Ukraine, Harms from the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations writes: “It is certain that Ukraine will be reconstructed.” But there will hardly be a real start date; the prospects for a peace agreement are too uncertain, “rather the state of uncertainty will continue for months and years.”
It is therefore crucial to “bring together all the players who have an interest in supporting the process of reconstruction in Ukraine and starting the first projects.” German companies have remained loyal to Ukraine and are continuing their activities in the country, Harms writes in the paper. You can even see some new investments in the spring, for example in the production area.