(Berlin) Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Chmygal began a visit to Germany on Sunday, where he hopes to receive even stronger support against Russia, especially on the military level, and turn the page after recent tensions between Kyiv and Berlin.
Posted at 8:39
Germany’s long wavering attitude towards Moscow following the outbreak of war six months ago and its initial lack of military support in Kyiv have deeply irritated the government of Volodymyr Zelensky.
But things have since improved. Less than a week ago, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for Germany to take “special responsibility” to help Ukraine strengthen its artillery and air defense systems.
He promised Berlin’s support for Kyiv “as long as it takes”.
This is the first visit, at this political level, of a Ukrainian official to Germany since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February.
Denys Chmygal met in the morning with the Head of State Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with whom he “discussed the military situation, the strengthening of sanctions and the need to supply arms to Ukraine”, wrote the Prime Minister on Twitter.
Mr. Steinmeier, twice Minister of Foreign Affairs to Angela Merkel, has long supported a policy of relaxation with Russia, before making his mea culpa by acknowledging a mistake. Declared for a time persona non grata by the government of Volodymyr Zelensky, he even had to cancel a visit to Kyiv in mid-April.
Need for “modern” tanks
Mr Chmygal, who will meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz later on Sunday, also thanked Germany “for its solidarity with the Ukrainians and its support”.
Germany “will continue to stand reliably alongside Ukraine,” Steinmeier assured the Ukrainian leader, according to the German president’s spokeswoman.
A conference of experts on the reconstruction of the country, in which the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is to take part in particular, will be held on October 25 in Berlin.
Before his visit, Denys Chmygal had noted “the immense progress” made by Germany in military aid to Ukraine.
“At first, it only delivered protective equipment or helmets. From now on, it brings war material at the forefront of modernity: multiple rocket launchers, artillery”, he had welcomed in an interview with the German press agency DPA broadcast by its press service. .
But he demands more: “Of course, we want to receive more weapons and equipment as soon as possible. And we must also change our philosophy with regard to deliveries: we must be provided with modern combat tanks, ”he said, while his country has so far received mainly old models.
“We expect second-generation Abrams tanks from the United States and Leopard-2 tanks from Germany. These are the modern tanks that Ukraine needs,” he added.
“Germany has also announced the delivery to Ukraine of Iris-T air defense systems,” finally recalled Mr. Chmygal, stressing that his country could order 12 in total to protect its airspace.
Relaxation
Denys Chmygal, much less media than President Volodymyr Zelensky, also intends to send another message: Germany must consider the Russian atrocities as a “genocide”.
“It’s Russian policy: they kill civilians in Ukraine only because they are Ukrainians,” he said in the interview.
“We expect our partners, including Germany, to share our assessment,” he added.
A new era in bilateral relations, less tense, now seems to be dawning, illustrated by the imminent arrival of a new Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin. His predecessor, Andrij Melnyk, for months attacked Germany’s timorous attitude towards Russia with virulence.
After his visit to Berlin, Mr. Chmygal is expected in Brussels on Monday to chair with the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell a meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council and participate in a conference on Russian crimes in Ukraine with the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.