German Finance Minister Lindner made a surprise visit to Kiev on Monday, expressing Germany’s continued support for Ukraine. This visit marks Lindner’s first trip to Ukraine since the outbreak of the war. Like other members of the German government, Lindner chose to travel to Kiev by train and kept the visit confidential.
During his visit, Lindner emphasized that Ukraine’s commitment to democracy and a market economy was the reason it was being targeted by Russia. He assured Ukraine that Germany would continue to provide support and stand by their side. Lindner also praised Ukraine for defending Western values.
Germany has been a major supporter of Ukraine since the war began, providing both financial and military assistance. The German Ministry of Finance reports that Germany has given Ukraine direct financial aid of 1.5 billion euros since 2022. In addition, Germany and other donor countries have suspended Ukraine’s debt repayments.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has reiterated its request for Germany to supply Taurus cruise missiles. Ukrainian presidential advisor Podoljak stated that destroying the logistical infrastructure and military bases of the Russian aggressor army is crucial in this stage of the conflict. Podoljak assured that Ukraine would only use the missiles to target locations within 100 to 300 kilometers from the front line, and not against Russia.
In a separate development, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu traveled to Russia and Belarus for an official visit. Li was invited by Russian Defense Minister Shoigu and Belarusian Defense Minister Khelenin. During his trip, Li will attend a security meeting in Moscow and hold meetings with leaders of both countries.
In terms of military aid, Germany has provided Ukraine with various weapons. These include the PzH-2000 self-propelled howitzers, with seven units being supplied. Germany has also given Ukraine 3,000 Tekken III rocket launchers, as well as Stinger missiles and “Arrow-2” portable anti-aircraft missiles. Germany is currently preparing to provide Ukraine with “Cheetah” anti-aircraft tanks and “Weasel” infantry fighting vehicles.
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