German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv on Monday, 2 December, for an unannounced visit, marking his first trip to Ukraine since June 2022, Ukrayinska Pravda reports with a reference to German Tagesschau.
Scholz reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. “Ukraine can rely on us. We say what we do. And we do what we say,” he wrote on X.
The visit includes a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which Scholz announced a €650 million weapons package set to be delivered in December.
- Scholz last visited Kyiv in June 2022, accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron and then-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
- In April 2022, Scholz declined to travel to Ukraine after Kyiv expressed reluctance to host German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier due to his historical ties with Russia.
- Recently, Scholz discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defence during a phone call with Zelenskyy. He also briefed Zelenskyy on a separate call he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 15 November, a move Zelenskyy criticised.
Scholz’s visit underlines Germany’s ongoing support as Ukraine faces continued Russian attacks.