Unannounced German Defense Minister in Kiev

Unannounced German Defense Minister in Kiev

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has arrived in Ukraine for an unannounced visit. Pistorius arrived in the capital Kiev by train on Tuesday morning. Talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were planned for the rest of the day. With his visit, the minister wanted to reaffirm Germany’s support for Ukraine, Berlin said.

The main themes of the trip are the training of Ukrainian soldiers and military aid. In addition to political discussions, a wreath-laying ceremony is also planned on Maidan Square, where pro-European protests began ten years ago, and a visit to a Ukrainian military training center.

The German Defense Minister’s visit comes against the backdrop of a recent increase in Russian airstrikes in Ukraine. As last winter, Kiev expects massive attacks on its energy supply infrastructure in the coming months. At the end of October, Germany delivered a third Iris T-SLM air defense system. Another is to remain part of the German “winter package” for Ukraine.

This is Pistorius’ second visit to Kiev since taking over as defense minister. He was last in Kiev in February. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also arrived in Kiev on Monday for his second visit since the start of the war.