04/03/2023 06:39 (act. 04/03/2023 06:50)
Habeck surprisingly in the Ukrainian capital ©Ritzau Scanpix
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck arrived in Ukraine for political talks. The politician arrived in the Kiev capital with a small delegation of German businessmen this Monday morning. The themes of the trip are the reconstruction of Ukraine attacked by Russia and cooperation in the energy sector. The purpose of the trip is to send a clear signal to Ukraine, Habeck said as he arrived at Kiev’s train station.
A sign “that we believe it will emerge victorious, that it will be rebuilt, that Europe is interested not only in providing support in times of need, but that Ukraine will also be an economically strong partner in the future.” Habeck is traveling to the country for the first time since the invasion by Russian troops on February 24 last year – and for the first time as a minister. He only wanted to come if he could bring something with him, the minister said on the outward journey in a special train. What is that? “A business delegation that gives hope to Ukraine that there will be reconstruction after the war.”
“Concrete investment decisions” have already been taken or will be taken, explained Habeck. Now the German economy is saying: “‘We can do it again’ – and I wanted to give that signal to my Ukrainian friends.”
His current trip was planned for last fall but had to be postponed because of Russia’s winter offensive in Ukraine, Habeck said. “Now is the time.”
The German Vice Chancellor was last in May 2021 as chairman of the Green Party in Ukraine – a trip he “still has very strong memories of”, as he said. During a visit to what was then the front line in eastern Ukraine, Habeck, as an opposition politician, spoke out in favor of delivering “defensive weapons” to the country attacked by Russia. At this point, the initiative caused astonishment in his own party, and the federal government, still led by the grand coalition, rejected the demand.