Politics Selenskyj in Germany - Talks with allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has arrived in Germany for talks with Western allies on further support in the defensive struggle against the Russian invasion.

Selenskyj took part in the opening meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate this morning. Ramstein is the largest US airbase outside the United States.

In addition to the President, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius were also present. Following recent devastating Russian airstrikes, Kiev is pushing for increased deliveries of air defense systems in particular.

Selenskyj was expected to travel from Ramstein to Frankfurt/Main later on Friday. There he is to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They plan to meet in the early afternoon for a one-on-one discussion, as a government spokesperson confirmed on Thursday evening. It is Zelensky's fifth visit to Germany since the start of the war. He last spoke in the Bundestag in Berlin in June.

Austin had invited the members of the Contact Group to the conference in Ramstein. This includes around 50 countries. This is the 24th meeting of the group, although most of the talks were held as video conferences.

Russia has been waging a war of aggression against neighboring Ukraine since 24 February 2022. The West is supporting Kiev in its defense with extensive arms deliveries, among other things.

SDA