The government in Kiev continued to pressure the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and invite him again. Scholz could take a “very decisive political step” and come to the Ukrainian capital on Monday, May 9, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday evening (6.5.2022).

The re-invitation comes just one day after a telephone conversation between Zelenskiy and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in which they explained a misunderstanding that had persisted for more than three weeks during which a trip to Kiev was canceled by Steinmeier. The Ukrainian government has previously made it clear that it does not want a German president in Kiev, who in his previous function – as head of German diplomacy – helped shape Germany’s policy towards Russia.

Russia celebrates Victory Day

On Monday, May 9, a military parade will be held in Russia, traditionally commemorating the Victory Day of the Soviet Army over Nazi Germany. Scholz, in turn, in a televised address on Sunday, May 8, intends to address the German public and talk about the war in Ukraine and the end of World War II 77 years ago. On that day, the chancellor will talk about the situation in Ukraine with partners from the G7 group. President Zelenskiy will join online.

It is “very special this year on May 8,” said German government vice president Christiane Hoffmann. The fact that two countries that were victims of German aggression during World War II are now at war with each other is “a very sad state of affairs.”

The head of the German Bundestag, Baerbel Bas, will travel to Kiev that day at the invitation of Ruslan Stefanczuk, speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, and may also meet Zelenskiy there.

Zelenskiy: “This is hypocrisy”

Although, after a brief telephone conversation between Steinmeier and Zelensky, Chancellor Scholz announced that the head of German diplomacy, Annalena Baerbock, would travel to Ukraine, this did not completely eliminate the dissonance in relations between Ukraine and Germany. On Friday, when asked during an online speech, Zelenskiy whether he was satisfied with the support from the EU, and especially from Germany, repeated his criticism that, on the one hand, sanctions were being imposed and at the same time an agreement with Russia was being made. is being signed. “This is hypocrisy,” he said.

In an interview with the BBC, the Ukrainian president also spoke about the minimum required for negotiations with Moscow to succeed. Russia had to withdraw to its position on February 23, that is, before the outbreak of war. This is where diplomacy is needed. “For us, not all diplomatic bridges are burned,” he said.

(DPA / house)

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