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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Germany on Wednesday for discussions with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has pledged strong support for Kyiv in its conflict with Russia.
The visit will focus on German aid to Ukraine and efforts to secure a ceasefire, aiming to end the more than three-year-long war, according to German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius.
During their talks, Zelensky and Merz are also expected to address EU initiatives to impose further sanctions on Moscow, given the lack of progress toward a ceasefire and peace negotiations.
Following a joint press conference and meetings with German business leaders, Zelensky is scheduled to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
This visit comes days after Russia launched some of its most intense missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, and as US President Donald Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Chancellor Merz, who took office on May 6, has committed to continued robust backing for Ukraine in coordination with Paris, London, and Warsaw.
He has also advocated for increased German defence spending to build Europe’s “strongest conventional army,” a plan Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described as “very worrying.”
Merz has adopted a more assertive tone than his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, criticising Putin for seemingly viewing offers of talks as a sign of weakness.
While Scholz had been hesitant to send long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv due to escalation concerns, Merz had previously favoured their delivery.
However, his new government has opted for a stance of “strategic ambiguity” regarding specific arms shipments.
Russia’s full-scale invasion, launched in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and widespread devastation in Ukraine.
Despite recent diplomatic efforts, including direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials earlier this month, Putin has shown no signs of de-escalating or reducing his maximalist demands.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has recently intensified his criticism of Putin. After calling Putin “CRAZY” over the weekend following a mass drone attack on Kyiv, Trump followed up on Tuesday, stating Putin was “playing with fire” and that new US sanctions could be imminent.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is also in Washington today for talks focused on ending the war, an immediate ceasefire, and lasting peace, emphasising the need to maintain pressure on Putin to engage in serious negotiations.
