Olaf Scholz and Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security agreement in Berlin on Friday described as
“historic”
by the German Chancellor who assured his determination to support Ukraine
“as long as necessary”
against the Russian aggressor.
“Two years after the start of this terrible war, today we are sending a very clear message to the Russian President (Vladimir Putin): we will not relax our support for Ukraine
,” the German leader warned during a conference. press alongside Volodymyr Zelensky.
Illustration of this commitment: the signed document contains additional and immediate military aid amounting to 1.1 billion euros.
Berlin is the first stop on a European tour by the Ukrainian president to demand increased military support for his country, which is in great difficulty facing Russia.
The day was marked by the announcement of the death of Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny: Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed that Vladimir Putin will have to
“be held accountable for his crimes”
.
The Ukrainian president will immediately go to Paris to sign a comparable agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Today's efforts in favor of Ukraine are nothing compared to those that we should deploy against a Russia which would feel victorious
,” underlined the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné in an article published Friday in the newspaper
Le Monde
.
“Fundamental role of Germany”
This diplomatic escape is crucial for Volodymyr Zelensky at a time when the situation has deteriorated considerably on the Ukrainian front.
In the east of the country, the town of Avdiïvka is the epicenter of
“fierce fighting”
and now threatens to fall after months of Russian assaults.
“Our security agreement is a truly unprecedented bilateral document
,” stressed the Ukrainian president.
“It reflects not only the level of bilateral relations that we have reached, but also Germany's fundamental role in maintaining normality in Europe and in the world
,” he said.
The agreement also includes supporting Ukraine after the war to build a modern army capable of repelling further attacks from Russia in the future.
These security agreements are supposed to give kyiv guarantees of long-term support, pending possible integration of the country into NATO.
The United Kingdom was the first to conclude such an agreement during a visit by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to kyiv on January 12.
During the last NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023, the organization's member countries, led by the United States and Germany, disappointed the expectations of Ukraine - and many Eastern European countries - by not not setting a timetable for the country's membership in this defense alliance.
The G7 powers had therefore decided to negotiate bilateral partnerships with kyiv.
Twenty-five other states have joined this initiative, such as Poland.
A few days before the second anniversary of the Russian invasion, on February 24, Ukraine faces multiple challenges: Russian troops are on the offensive, American military aid is still in limbo and the Ukrainian army lack of men, weapons, ammunition.
Meeting with Kamala Harris
Volodymyr Zelensky will continue his mini diplomatic tour on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), the annual meeting of the geopolitical elite in southern Germany.
He is due to give a speech there then have several bilateral discussions, notably with American Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Some 180 senior government representatives are expected at this
“Davos of defense”
, including the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the head of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi.
kyiv has been waiting for months for the vote on crucial aid of $60 billion decided by the administration of Joe Biden, campaigning for a second term, but hampered by Republican opposition under the influence of Donald Trump.
The envelope recently passed the Senate hurdle, but is blocked in the House of Representatives.
If Ukraine will once again be at the heart of the debates at the conference, the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the threat of escalation in the Middle East will also hold a predominant place.