BERLIN (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday it is important that allies’ aid to Ukraine does not decline next year as he received a promise of a new arms package from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a European tour intended to to win support for his “victory plan” aimed at ending the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin after stops Thursday in London, Paris and Rome on a tour organized after a planned summit Saturday with U.S. President Joe Biden and other allied leaders was derailed by Hurricane Milton.
Noting that Germany is Ukraine’s largest military supporter in Europe and the second largest after the United States, Scholz said that “it will remain that way.”
Scholz emphasized Berlin’s continued focus on helping Kiev with air defense. And he said it will deliver another military aid package worth about 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) by the end of the year, with support from Belgium, Denmark and Norway – including further air defense systems, self-driving Gepard anti-weapon systems. -aircraft guns, tanks, armored vehicles, combat drones, artillery ammunition and radars.
“For us it is very important that the aid does not decrease next year,” Zelenskyy said, thanking Scholz for the planned assistance. “It must be enough to protect people and lives.”
This year’s German budget provides almost 7.5 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine, while the plan for next year is 4 billion euros. Berlin hopes that a $50 billion international loan package, financed by interest on profits from frozen Russian assets, will play an increasing role in financing aid from next year, with Kiev directly purchasing weapons. The aim is to have this system operational by the end of this year.
Scholz told Zelenskyy that “you can rely on that package.” He said Russian President Vladimir Putin must realize that “time games will not work; we will not give up our support for Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian leader has not yet publicly explained his proposals for a ‘victory’. But the timing of his efforts to secure European support appears to be timed to the approaching US elections. Former President Donald Trump has been critical of American aid to Kiev for some time.
Ukraine’s stretched and short army is currently under heavy pressure in the eastern Donetsk region. Russian forces recently expelled it from the Donetsk city of Vuhledar and now control about half of nearby Toretsk. To stop the losses, Zelenskyy needs more help.
In Berlin, he said Ukraine “would like to end the war by 2025 at the latest.”
“This plan is a bridge to holding a productive peace summit that will truly end the war,” he said, adding that Ukraine can only strengthen its position against Russia through cooperation with Western partners.
Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy held a 35-minute meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. He also met with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
“The discussions were devoted to the state of the war and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, as well as the ways in which it could be brought to an end, leading to a just and stable peace in the country,” the Vatican said. “Some matters related to the country’s religious life were also investigated.”
Since the first Russian attack on Kiev, there have been several contacts between Francis and Zelenskyy, through visits, letters and telephone calls.
The pope sparked some criticism from Ukrainian leaders in March when he suggested they should have the courage of the “white flag” to negotiate an end to the war with Russia, in what many interpreted as a call for surrender.
Francis has repeatedly called for an end to the war, focusing on prisoner exchanges and reaching a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian conflict.
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Arhirova reported from Kiev, Ukraine. Giada Zampano contributed to this report from Vatican City.
