German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has arrived in Ukraine for her ninth visit since the start of Russia's full-scale aggressive war against Ukraine.
As reported by the German Foreign Office, during her current trip, Baerbock "aims to engage in political discussions and connect with Ukrainians who have been bravely defending the future of their country in terms of global peace and security for nearly 1,000 days, supporting each other in various ways."
The key message from the Foreign Minister to the Ukrainians during her visit was: "We will counter this brutality with our humanity and support—so that Ukrainians not only survive the winter but that their country also survives. After all, they are protecting the freedom of all of us in Europe. In addition to our energy assistance—a 'winter shield' for Ukraine—strengthening Ukraine's air defense plays a crucial role in this."
As Baerbock pointed out, "repairs, solar panels, and generators are useless if they are defenseless against the next missile strike."
"Therefore, this trip will also focus on understanding where the international community can continue to provide targeted support," the Foreign Office stated.
The ministry also emphasized that Putin's goal is to further distance Ukraine from its European neighbors.
"This plan is failing. On the contrary, Ukraine has already implemented significant reforms. The EU Commission acknowledges this progress in its enlargement report. This is one of the reasons why the Foreign Minister is currently traveling to Kyiv, to assure Ukrainians that Germany will continue to closely accompany them on their determined path to the EU," the Foreign Office underscored.
As reported by the German news service tagesschau, Baerbock has already arrived in Kyiv.