During a trip to Kyiv on Monday, German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil reiterated Germany’s support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
“In the three and a half years that this war has been going on, we have always shown that we are not ducking away, but stand by the side of the Ukrainians. And that will also apply to security guarantees,” said Klingbeil, who is also a co-leader of the center-left Social Democratic Party, (SPD), the junior party in Germany’s governing coalition.
It is important to have a “really strong Ukrainian army that is also capable of defense,” Klingbeil, who met Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenskyy, said.
“And the second thing is that armaments production is also being ramped up here in Ukraine as well, thereby putting Ukraine in a position to defend itself and deter [aggressors],” he continued.
‘Important security guarantees’ so ‘Putin no longer dares to attack Ukraine’
“The important thing is that there are security guarantees in the end that mean Ukraine is no longer attacked and that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin no longer dares to attack Ukraine.”
Klingbeil’s visit to Kyiv was unannounced and it comes as there is no end in sight to Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite promises of an imminent conclusion coming from the United States.
“It is about Ukrainian, but also European security,” Klingbeil said, emphasizing the need for “reliable security guarantees that ensure lasting peace for Ukraine.”
He also said that Berlin is consulting closely with its international partners on this issue.
“Putin should have no illusions that Germany’s support for Ukraine could crumble,” said Klingbeil. “On the contrary: We remain Ukraine’s second-largest supporter worldwide and the largest in Europe. Ukraine can continue to rely on Germany.”
After Alaska talks, is a ceasefire in Ukraine likely?
The vice chancellor’s comments followed a round of peace talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska that did not yield any results.
Over the weekend, US Vice President JD Vance said that significant progress had been made in negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, claiming that Moscow was willing to make substantial concessions.
On Monday, Klingbeil urged Putin to demonstrate an interest in peace and emphasized the need for Ukraine’s involvement in future talks after being shunned for the Alaska summit. Klingbeil also called for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
