German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Kiev on Monday and announced an additional 200 million euros to support Ukrainians during their third winter of war, amid Russia’s continued attacks on infrastructure.
The money will be used so that homes close to the front lines without energy supplies can also receive fuel and “Ukrainians can be provided with essentials such as blankets or warm winter coats to protect them from the freezing temperatures,” she said during a meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is now seeking military help from North Korea and redoubling his efforts in eastern Ukraine, Baerbock said.
He is deliberately targeting lifelines across the country, bombing power stations and destroying power lines, she added, destroying almost two-thirds of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and leaving people without electricity and heat.
She previously visited a power plant near Kiev that is still producing electricity despite being hit several times by Russian missiles.
But the additional German aid is not support for the energy sector, but is intended for winter emergency measures for the public, such as solid fuels for homes on the front line, insulation, winter clothing, blankets and financial aid.
The latter amount brings Germany’s aid to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes – such as mine clearance – to 390 million euros.
Germany’s coalition government is in crisis amid an internal row and could collapse, but Baerback vowed the EU’s richest country would continue to push back toward Ukraine.
“Germany, together with many partners around the world, stands firmly by Ukraine’s side,” Baerbock said.
“We will support the Ukrainians for as long as they need us, so they can follow their path to a just peace.”
The minister arrived in the Ukrainian capital by a special train. It was Baerbock’s eighth trip to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022 and was not announced for security reasons.
Nearly a thousand days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Baerbock paid tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people.
She said Putin wants to break them with his war of attrition.
“We fight this brutality with our humanity and support,” she said, adding that Ukrainians also defend the freedom of everyone in Europe.
Baerbock meet the Ukrainian leader
Baerbock also met with President Volodymyr Zelensky. “I thanked her for all the support Germany has given to Ukraine,” Zelensky said in his evening video message.
Their discussions covered the general situation in Europe and the region, he said. “How can we put pressure on Russia to bring peace closer?”
Baerbock said one of the reasons for her trip was her goal to “bring back media coverage of Ukraine in Germany and Europe,” and said this trip was “more important than some of the previous visits.”
The German minister gave a briefing on the anti-aircraft defense
During her visit, Baerbock was informed about the deployment of the German-supplied Gepard anti-aircraft tanks.
Ukrainian soldiers told her they had shot down three Russian drones in the greater Kiev area on Friday.
They also asked Baerbock for more support in the form of materials and ammunition.
So far, Germany has supplied Ukraine with 55 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, including spare parts and 176,000 units of anti-aircraft ammunition from Bundeswehr and industrial stocks.
Gepard tanks are considered very effective in repelling drones.
Baerbock also reiterated its commitment to providing Ukraine with additional air defense systems: “We are leaving no stone unturned globally; every single air defense system matters.”
This weekend, after a week of more than 900 Russian bombings according to Ukrainian figures, Zelensky had called on his allies for more help with air defense.
“Ukraine needs more defense systems,” he wrote on Telegram.
According to the Ukrainian president, Russia also launched around 500 drone strikes last week, most of which targeted civilian and critical infrastructure – particularly energy facilities.
Baerbock also praised the “courageous steps” Ukraine had taken towards reforms and said the country was closer to the European Union than ever before.
Germany, she said, supported the country’s path towards reforms, especially in the fight against corruption and for media freedom.
