On Surprise German Visit, Zelensky Urges 'Vital Support'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an unannounced visit to Germany on Thursday, Dec. 14, as Kyiv tries to ensure continued Western support for the embattled country.

Zelensky said he visited the US military base in Wiesbaden, where he was "once again convinced of the excellent quality of US military aid to Ukraine."

"We critically need it for the victory! We expect that the US Congress will soon adopt the crucial decision to continue such vital support for Ukraine," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Ukraine's presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak posted on X simply a German flag and a flexed bicep.

Politico had reported Wednesday that German defense firms were given 24 hours to list armaments that could be sent to Ukraine next year, based on a request to industry from senior government officials.

The visit came as Ukraine said it had taken delivery of a Patriot air defence system provided to Kyiv from Germany, in the wake of increasing aerial attacks by Moscow.

"One more Patriot air defense system from Germany arrived in Ukraine!" the Ukrainian defence ministry said in a statement on social media, listing new military aid including mine clearing systems.

A police spokesman in the German business capital Frankfurt told AFP earlier that Zelensky had "appointments in the Rhine-Main area".

The spokesman said police officers had accompanied Zelensky from Frankfurt airport toward nearby Wiesbaden and had temporarily blocked off traffic for security reasons.

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"The stop of the Ukrainian president at the Clay Barracks in Wiesbaden will be over soon," Frankfurt police later posted on X. "There will be new temporary blockades for his departure from Germany."    

Last year the US Department of Defense established a new organisation in Wiesbaden to coordinate long-term security force assistance.

As he urged allies in Europe and the US to keep backing Kyiv, Zelensky on Wednesday made an unannounced visit to Oslo for talks with the leaders of the five Nordic countries on the eve of a crunch EU summit in Brussels.

Earlier Thursday he joined the leaders of the 27 EU member states by video link, urging them not to hand Russia a political victory by denying vital support.

The EU's leaders were focused on granting Kyiv a four-year 50-billion-euro ($55-billion) funding package and an agreement to launch formal EU talks for Ukraine on joining the bloc.

In both the US and the EU, internal disagreements are holding up aid packages for Ukraine worth billions of dollars.

With the counter-offensive launched by Ukraine in July failing to yield the anticipated results, Zelensky is trying to bolster international support.