Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was received with military honors by German Chancellor Olaf Schulz on Sunday as he made his first visit to Germany since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Zelensky is visiting allies seeking more arms supplies to help his country fend off a Russian invasion and funding to rebuild what has been destroyed by more than a year of conflict.
A Luftwaffe jet flew Zielinski from Rome to the German capital, where he met with Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday.
On the eve of his arrival - which is taking place amid tight security - the German government announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft Systems, and ammunition also included.
"Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Rebuilding EU NATO security," Zelenskiy tweeted on Sunday in an apparent reference to the top priorities of his trip.
After initial reluctance to supply Ukraine with lethal weapons, Germany has become one of the largest suppliers of weapons to Ukraine, including Leopard 1 and 2 main battle tanks, and advanced IRIS-T SLM air defense systems. systems are included. Modern Western hardware is seen as crucial if Ukraine is to succeed in its planned counter-offensive against Russian troops.
Zelenskiy met for the first time with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was rejected by Kyiv last year because of his previous close ties with Russia, leading to a thaw in diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Germany.
Since then, Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Schulz have both visited Ukraine, assuring Zelensky of their support for his country's fight against Russian aggression. Announcing the new weapons package, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin would help Ukraine "as long as it takes."
After meeting with Scholes and other top officials at the chancellery, the two leaders are expected to travel to the western city for Zelenskiy to receive the International Charlemagne Prize awarded to him and the people of Ukraine.
Organizers say the award recognizes their resistance to Russia's aggression "not only in defense of their country's sovereignty and the lives of its citizens but also of Europe and European values."
Although German leaders have expressed strong support for Ukraine, German voters are divided over whether to provide the country with more weapons, particularly the kind of advanced fighter jets that Kyiv is asking its allies for.
war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
