German opposition leader visits Kyiv, Scholz refuses to go

Germany’s conservative opposition leader has traveled to Kyiv for meetings with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

KYIV, Ukraine -- German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz traveled to Kyiv Tuesday for meetings with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear that he wouldn’t be visiting Ukraine any time soon.

Scholz has traded barbs with Ukrainian officials in recent weeks because of Kyiv's refusal to invite Germany's head of state, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom Ukraine accuses of cozying up to Russia during his time as foreign minister.

“It can’t work that a country that provides so much military aid, so much financial aid ... you then say that the president can’t come,” Scholz told public broadcaster ZDF late Monday.

Ukraine's ambassador in Berlin, Andrij Melnyk, responded Tuesday by calling Scholz's refusal to visit “not very statesmanlike.”