Ambassador to Scholz's visit to Kyiv: Chancellor must examine position on arms delivery

Created: 06/17/2022Updated: 06/17/2022 09:02

By: Tobias Utz, Katja Thorwarth, Marvin Ziegele

Chancellor Scholz's visit to Kyiv is under observation.

Ukraine's Ambassador Melnyk sees Maybrit Illner (ZDF) in the trip as a right step.

• Long-awaited trip:

  Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj during the Ukraine war.

• French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi were also present.

• You can read the results

  of the talks in Kiev in the news ticker.

Update from Friday, June 17, 8:40 a.m .:

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, expects Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) after his trip to Kiev to persuade the EU for candidate status for the country.

Ukraine hopes that the chancellor will ensure that the necessary unanimity is reached at the EU summit, Melnyk said on Thursday evening on the ZDF program "Maybrit Illner".

"We're not over the mountain yet," added the diplomat. 

Melnyk described the trip as a "strong message" to his country.

Ukraine's accession to the EU is not a gift, but also in Germany's interest.

Ukraine does not want to be a supplicant, but to do something, including in the area of ​​security, stressed Melnyk.

Regarding the delivery of heavy weapons, the ambassador said he hoped that after the visit there would be an understanding to do more.

He appealed again to Scholz to review his reluctance to deliver weapons that could be delivered immediately. 

The Ukrainian Ambassador Melnyk does not see Ukraine as a petitioner when it comes to EU membership.

© Michael Kappeler/dpa

Olaf Scholz in Kyiv: Peace agreement with Russia "far away"

+++ 8.30 p.m .:

 The heads of state and government of the three leading EU countries have visited Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the war and sent a clear signal that the country has prospects of joining the EU.

"Germany is in favor of a positive decision in favor of Ukraine," said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in Kyiv.

According to French President Emmanuel Macron, Kyiv should be given candidate country status “immediately”.

Together with Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romania's President Klaus Iohannis, they also promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy further military support for the fight against Russia.

Scholz emphasized: "Ukraine is part of the European family." At the EU summit next week, he will advocate a unified position on the issue of candidate status.

He also pleaded for a positive decision in favor of the Republic of Moldova.

At the same time, the chancellor warned that “clear criteria” would apply to later accession, in particular democracy and the rule of law.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz together with Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyj in Kyiv.

© imago-images

also read

NATO report apparently makes depressing forecast for Ukraine war – Baerbock sees new Putin strategy

German arms fiasco in Ukraine deliveries: Scholz apparently surprised everyone - with dire consequences

Olaf Scholz in Kyiv: Peace agreement with Russia "far away"

Scholz also assured Ukraine of further arms deliveries.

"We will continue to do this as long as Ukraine needs this support," he said.

He did not make any new commitments for weapon systems, but referred to the announced deliveries of Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, the Iris-T air defense system, the Cobra locating radar and multiple rocket launchers.

"We are still very, very far away from a peace agreement with Russia," Scholz said.

The prerequisite for this is that "Russia withdraws its troops and gives up its plan".

Germany will work to ensure that Moscow "cannot enforce a dictated peace".

Olaf Scholz in Kyiv: Chancellor wants Ukraine to join the EU – Draghi calls for UN action

+++ 4.18 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has campaigned for Ukraine and its small neighboring Republic of Moldova to be granted the status of EU accession candidates.

“Germany is for a positive decision in favor of Ukraine.

That also applies to the Republic of Moldova," said the SPD politician at a press conference in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Thursday.

"Ukraine is part of the European family," he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron supported Olaf Scholz.

Macron added: "In any case, we support Ukraine's accession status to the European Union." In addition to Macron, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis also accompanied the Federal Chancellor on this solidarity visit.

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

View photo gallery

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi wants to end the blockade of the Ukrainian ports by Russia under a coordination of the United Nations.

The Russian military is currently not allowing ships carrying grain to leave Ukraine.

Poorer countries in particular, for example in Africa, are urgently dependent on these deliveries.

"The only way is a United Nations resolution to regulate the corridors in the Black Sea," Draghi said on Thursday at the joint press conference with Chancellor Scholz in Kyiv.

Russia has so far rejected this.

Olaf Scholz in the Ukraine: air alert in Kyiv

+++ 3.14 p.m

.: When Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Kiev on Thursday, the air alarm was triggered for the second time in the Ukrainian capital.

This was reported by a reporter from the German Press Agency on site.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi were also in the capital with Scholz.

Already after their arrival in the morning there had been an air raid alert.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his trip to Ukraine.

© IMAGO/Ansa/Press Office Chigi S Palace

+++ 2.40 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has assured Ukraine of European solidarity.

"We Europeans stand firmly by your side," Scholz wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

He thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for welcoming him, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in Kyiv.

It was an open conversation.

Scholz also thanked Zelenskyj for accepting the invitation to attend the G7 summit at the end of June.

This takes place in Schloss Elmau in Bavaria.

It remained unclear whether the Ukrainian head of state would leave his country for this or whether the video would be used as in other meetings.

Zelenskyj accepted invitations to the G7 and NATO summits at the end of June on Wednesday.

Olaf Scholz in Kyiv: Ex-Kremlin chief scoffs at Chancellor and "old howitzers"

+++ 1.30 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj for the first time in Kiev.

Zelenskyj received Macron and Scholz as well as the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the Romanian President Klaus Johannis on Thursday afternoon in the Ukrainian Presidential Palace.

The politicians stepped in front of the cameras, the President of Ukraine in his usual khaki T-shirt, the others in a suit and tie.

A working lunch was then planned, at which the focus should be on Ukraine's desire to join the EU and further arms deliveries.

Olaf Scholz in Kyiv: Ex-Kremlin chief scoffs at Chancellor and "old howitzers"

+++ 12.33 p.m

.: Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev has criticized the joint trip to Kiev by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi as useless.

"European fans of frogs, liverwurst and spaghetti love to visit Kyiv," Medvedev wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday.

"With zero benefit."

Politicians would have to travel by train like they did 100 years ago.

They held out the prospect of EU membership and "old howitzers" for Ukraine, said Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council.

"It's all good.

But it won't bring Ukraine any closer to peace.

The clock is ticking."

Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron welcome Volodymyr Selensky.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Scholz, Macron and Dragi in Kyiv: dismay in the suburbs

+++ 12.15 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron were concerned during a visit to a suburb badly damaged by the Russian army.

"Here we are in one of the places where the Ukrainians stopped the Russian army that was on its way to Kyiv," said Macron, who also looked concerned.

"You have to imagine the heroism of the army, but also of the population," said Macron.  

Scholz in Kyiv: Ukrainian ambassador calls for heavy weapons from Bundeswehr stocks  

+++ 9.35 a.m .:

The Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk has asked Scholz to make far-reaching commitments to arms deliveries.

"The Ukrainians hope that the forthcoming visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not only be of symbolic importance, but groundbreaking," Melnyk told the online edition of the Rheinische Post.

It is "very important that the German head of government sees the devastation caused by Russian aggression with his own eyes and talks to the victims of the war," added Melnyk.

He must recognize “the urgency” “why Ukraine must be supported with full force, much stronger and more extensively with heavy weapons”.

Above all, Kyiv expects Scholz to finally give the green light for the requested 88 Leopard 1 main battle tanks and 100 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

In addition, Scholz should release heavy weapons from the stocks of the Bundeswehr: "Nothing stands in the way of Germany making a significant part of its own 800 Fuchs transport tanks, 325 Leopard 2 tanks or 380 Marder tanks available to the Ukrainian army to protect the Russian troops.” In the medium term, Ukraine also needs German submarines, corvettes, patrol boats and combat boats “to defend the long Black Sea coast and eliminate Russian superiority at sea”.

Scholz, Macron and Draghi arrived in Kyiv on a special train 

+++ 8.45 a.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev on Thursday morning with a special train.

There they want to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about further support for the country attacked by Russia and about Ukraine's desire to join the European Union.

War in Ukraine: Scholz on a special train to Kyiv

Update from Thursday, June 16, 7:30 a.m .:

According to media reports, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are on board a special train on the way to Kiev.

The heads of state and government had boarded the train in Poland and were expected in Kyiv, Ukraine on Thursday morning, the Italian daily La Repubblica reported.

She published a photo of the three politicians on board the train.

ZDF also announced the start of the journey. 

Scholz visits Ukraine - Two "crucial" demands

First report from Wednesday, June 15:

Kiev/Berlin – Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans to travel to Ukraine on Thursday (May 16).

As has already been leaked, there are numerous appointments on the agenda.

Among other things, a meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is said to be planned.

Selenskyj had already sharply criticized Scholz in a ZDF interview on Monday evening for the lack of arms deliveries from Germany to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, formulated two "crucial" demands on Scholz on Wednesday.

Ukraine war: Scholz travels to Kyiv – but how?

"Firstly, we want the German head of government to promise, without any ifs or buts, that he will be granted candidate status for EU membership and to ensure that the European Council makes this historic decision unanimously next week," said Melnyk RTL and ntv.

Scholz is traveling to Kyiv with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian President Draghi.

The Tagesspiegel reports that no visits outside the capital, for example in Bucha, are planned.

(ktho/tu with dpa/AFP)