Ukraine conflict: Health Minister Lauterbach gets stuck in the elevator during a trip to Ukraine

Created: 06/12/2022, 07:12

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) visits war wounded in hospital during his trip to Ukraine.

There was a moment of shock for Lauterbach himself: he got stuck in the elevator (archive photo from June 10, 2022).

© picture alliance/dpa/BMG/photothek |

Thomas Kohler

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach traveled to Ukraine to offer medical assistance to the country.

In a hospital, the minister got stuck in the elevator - symbolic of the situation on site.

Kyiv – Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) left for Ukraine on Thursday to get an idea of ​​the situation on the ground.

The minister met victims of the war and offered medical assistance to Ukraine.

For a brief moment, however, things went downhill for the SPD politician in a hospital – he took it as an opportunity to point out grievances.

The Federal Minister of Health's trip to Ukraine: Karl Lauterbach is going down in the elevator

In the escalating Ukraine conflict, the Minister of Health traveled to Lviv in western Ukraine, among other places.

His Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Ljaschko received him there – Lauterbach then also visited a hospital.

For a short time, however, things went downhill for the minister during this visit: the SPD politician was stuck in an elevator with Viktor Ljaschko.

The lift suddenly dropped a meter, explained the Federal Minister of Health on Twitter.

"At first nobody wanted to climb out..." Lauterbach added.

At the same time, he took the incident as an opportunity to point out the poor state of the clinics in Ukraine.

But the federal government will provide help, the minister promised.

Ukraine trip: Lauterbach "dismayed" by the many injuries

During his visit, Lauterbach was "dismayed" by the many injuries in Ukraine.

These are victims of the "barbaric war of aggression" by Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin.

Many children lost limbs, many people suffered severe burns.

"We will provide help here on the part of the federal government," confirmed the minister, who visited a rehabilitation clinic in Lviv, among other things.

Germany will, among other things, supply prostheses and help care for people with severe burns, Lauterbach announced on Friday.

"And we will set up containers where technicians can learn to make high-quality prostheses," added the health minister.

In addition, the federal government wants to help with the care of the burn injuries.

“More than 200 doctors from Germany” with the relevant expertise are ready “to help here in Ukraine”.

Germany will also help with the supply of medicines and telemedicine.

Lauterbach also plans to fly the seriously injured out of the Ukraine and treat them in Germany.

On Saturday it became known that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is now planning a trip to Ukraine.

Accordingly, he apparently wants to travel to Kyiv with his counterparts from France and Italy before the G7 summit.