German defence minister arrives in Ukraine to send message of support
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) welcoming German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius to Kyiv, on Jan 14.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BERLIN - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv on Jan 14 on a visit intended to send a clear signal of Europe’s support ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has pushed for swift talks to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
"The first and most important thing is to make it very clear psychologically and politically that we will continue to stand by Ukraine," said Mr Pistorius, upon arriving in Kyiv.
He will meet the Ukrainian government to discuss further aid and will assess the military situation.
Mr Pistorius’ visit, which is also intended to signal Berlin’s backing for Kyiv heading into February’s German elections, comes less than a week before Trump is set to be sworn in for a second term as US president on Jan 20.
Trump says he will quickly solve the war in Ukraine and has criticised the scale of US support for Kyiv.
Mr Pistorius, a member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, said that Ukraine, especially, required support as Russian President Vladimir Putin “is of course trying to make up as much ground as possible before Jan 20 in the possible expectation of ceasefire negotiations”.
Germany is among Ukraine’s top military backers in its fight to stop Russia’s invasion.
There is debate in Germany over Berlin's support for Ukraine ahead of a snap German election
A Nato summit in The Hague at the end of June will discuss hiking the defence alliance’s existing military spending target of 2 per cent of national GDP, with 3 per cent being floated by some experts as one potential new target. Trump recently urged a 5 per cent goal.
Mr Pistorius also plans to continue talks started during his visit to Poland the day before, where he met his counterparts from Germany, Poland, Britain, France and Italy.
He said he would discuss the question of industrial cooperation for arms productions in Ukraine, including how to support Kyiv in boosting capacity and conclude joint ventures. REUTERS
