Germany Wadephul promises Ukraine continued arms aid
Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul promises Ukraine permanent German arms aid in the face of ongoing massive Russian air strikes. "The freedom and future of Ukraine is the most important task of our foreign and security policy," said the CDU politician on his visit to Kiev. We will "stand firmly by Ukraine's side so that it can continue to defend itself successfully - with modern air defense and other weapons, with humanitarian and economic aid".
30.06.2025, 07:06
SDA
The minister arrived in the Ukrainian capital in the morning on a special train for his inaugural visit, which was initially kept secret for security reasons. Wadephul was accompanied by representatives of the German arms industry. According to the Federal Foreign Office, high-level talks between business representatives and with Ukrainian decision-makers were to take place on the fringes of the visit.
Wadephul visited Ukraine for the first time on May 9 as the new Foreign Minister. At that time, he took part in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Lviv (Lviv) in western Ukraine.
High-ranking representatives of the arms industry accompany Wadephul
"Ukraine will decide whether our Europe remains a place where freedom and human dignity count - or a continent where violence pushes borders," explained Wadephul. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace, but conquest and subjugation at any price. "That is why we will continue to focus our full attention on supporting Ukraine." This shows "our steadfastness as Europeans".
While Ukraine has repeatedly proven that it is ready for serious negotiations on an end to the war, Putin is not backing down from any maximum demands, criticized Wadephul. The Kremlin leader does not want negotiations, but capitulation. As long as this is the case, Putin's options will continue to be restricted by sanctions. They are continuing to work on this with the greatest pressure.
"Continuing to work on sanctions with the greatest pressure"
On Friday, the adoption of the EU's 18th sanctions package initially failed due to opposition from Slovakia. A new vote was postponed to an unspecified date. The EU sanctions are primarily directed against the Russian economy and aim to deprive the country of the financial means to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine.
Political talks and commemoration of Holocaust victims
In Kiev, Wadephul wanted to meet with his counterpart Andrij Sybiha, among others, and commemorate the victims of the mass murder of the Jewish population under German occupation in 1941 at the Babyn Yar memorial. The Nazis shot more than 33,000 Jewish men, women and children in the narrow Babyn Yar ravine on the former outskirts of Kiev on September 29/30, 1941.
Wadephul's predecessor Annalena Baerbock (Greens) last traveled to Kiev at the beginning of April as acting Foreign Minister. It was her ninth solidarity trip since the war of aggression began in February 2022. Baerbock had visited Ukraine a total of eleven times since taking office in 2021.
Ukraine: highest number of attacks since the start of the war
The Ukrainian air force announced at the weekend that Russia had fired more than 500 drones, missiles and cruise missiles at Ukraine on Sunday night. The total number of 537 such attacks was the highest since the start of the war, reported media in Ukraine. There were again casualties and serious damage to civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi then reiterated demands to exert more pressure on Putin in order to end the war. Ukraine must strengthen its air defense and is prepared to buy air defense systems, especially from the USA.
