Andriy Melnyk is the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany. He is well-known for his sharp wit and wit.
Soon after, an update was issued. Melnyk stated to the dpa news agency that the Ukrainian people expect that Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, will announce during his visit that he is bringing with himself a new package of German weaponry. This should include the Leopard-1 tanks and more Marder armored infantry combat vehicles.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, had called for faster dispatches of Western weapons. Ukraine stated that it requires 1,000 heavy artillery weapons (howitzers), 300 multiple launchers, 500 tanks and 2,000 armored vehicles, as well as 1,000 drones. “We need assurances from Chancellor Scholz about Germany’s support for Ukraine. In an interview with ZDF, Zelenskyy stated that he and his government must decide. Vitali Klitschko was quoted as saying in Germany’s mass-circulation tabloid Bild: “What we require from the three most important countries leaders is tougher support sanctions, and weapons as soon as possible.” Both men stressed their belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ambitions far beyond Kyiv.
High expectations are being placed on the German, French, and Italian leaders to visit Kyiv, particularly since the latter has been slow to arrive despite being invited. There was a diplomatic snafu in April, when the Ukrainian government was dissatisfied with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German President’s previous soft stances towards the Kremlin. The president admitted that this was an error.
After Zelenskyy and Steinmeier gathered to clear the air, the uncomfortable situation began to calm down. Scholz retorted that he wouldn’t stand for being one of those people who will do anything just to get another photo op.
Friedrich Merz, the Conservative opposition leader, defeated the Kyiv’s reluctant chancellor. Annalena Baerbock (Green Party Foreign Minister) followed him. However, by this time, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also present and promised further economic and military support through a global alliance.
British, American and Eastern European politicians quickly came up with the goods: more arms. Scholz, on the other hand, warned of a third war and refused heavy weapons until Washington’s increasing pressure forced him to. Along with tanks and howitzers the chancellor promised to send four multiple rocket launchers and the Iris T air defense system. However, so far it appears that only a few light weapons and munitions have been delivered.
Henning Hoff, German Council on Foreign Relations, says that “it’s time for actions to follow words.” Henning Hoff of the German Council on Foreign Relations said that he would have been there to support the French president’s visit in Kyiv after Emmanuel Macron had been re-elected. It would have been a powerful signal of support and solidarity. It’s better to be late than never. Hoff believes that the time is right for the chancellor “to correct that failure” and to address the delivery of the promised missile-launchers and air defense system.
At a Vilnius meeting of heads of government and state from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the feeling of discontent felt by many in Eastern Europe about the German chancellor’s handling or lack thereof was again expressed. If Putin succeeds in Ukraine, the former Soviet republics are concerned that they will be next to fall prey to Russian aggression.
Scholz has repeated the mantra, “Russia cannot be allowed to win that war!” He has repeatedly refused to state that Ukraine should win the conflict. Krisjanis Karins, Latvia’s Prime Minister, apparently meant to refer to this lack of clarity when he stated recently that “Our goal was clear: Russia must win this war.” It must be won by Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas (Estonia’s prime Minister) was just as vocal during a visit in Berlin at the beginning of April. “We are 65x smaller than Germany.” We have provided six times the military assistance as Germany, but we are 65 times smaller than Estonia.
