Zelenskyy calls Germany ‘true friend’ as Ukraine readies riposte
The Hindu
The Ukrainian president had travelled to Berlin for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 14 called Germany a “true friend” in his country’s battle against Russia, as Berlin pledged unwavering support for Kyiv ahead of a widely expected counter-offensive.
Berlin unveiled a new military package for Kyiv worth €2.7 billion ($3 billion), its biggest yet for Ukraine, as Mr. Zelenskyy made his first visit to Germany since Russia’s invasion.
The Ukrainian President had travelled to Berlin for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier after meeting Italian leaders and Pope Francis in Rome.
His next destination later Sunday will be another European heavyweight France, where meetings are expected with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, sources told AFP.
It would be the Ukrainian leader’s second visit to France since Russia invaded his country last year. Zelensky had previously made a late evening stop-off in Paris in February, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Zelensky’s weekend diplomatic tour comes ahead of an EU summit in Reykjavik and a gathering of G7 leaders in Japan.
In Berlin, he thanked Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany’s “powerful support” in the form of the armaments package, saying “everything in this security package will significantly strengthen our defence”.