German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit on Monday, Dec. 2, marking his first trip to the Ukrainian capital in two and a half years. The visit aims to show solidarity with Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia.
For the first time in 2.5 years, German Chancellor Scholz has arrived in Kyiv for talks with Zelensky. pic.twitter.com/odB5bCyusQ
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) December 2, 2024
According to Tagesschau, Scholz is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the current situation on the front lines and potential diplomatic efforts to end the war. These talks come as the world anticipates the policies of the incoming US administration under Donald Trump.
The German Chancellor is also expected to announce additional arms shipments worth €650 million, set to arrive in December.
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"I travelled to Kyiv last night by train through a country defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for over 1,000 days," Scholz wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) upon arrival.
"Ukraine can rely on us. We say what we do. And we do what we say," he added.
Die Ukraine kann sich auf uns verlassen. Wir sagen, was wir tun. Und wir tun, was wir sagen.
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) December 2, 2024
Um das erneut deutlich zu machen, bin ich heute Nacht nach Kyjiw gereist: mit dem Zug durch ein Land, das sich seit über 1000 Tagen gegen den russischen Angriffskrieg verteidigt. pic.twitter.com/sAcTtkTPW3
This visit underscores Germany’s role as Ukraine’s strongest European ally. Scholz last visited Kyiv in June 2022 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and then-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
The visit follows a Nov.29 phone call between Scholz and Zelensky, during which they discussed Scholz’s recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Nov.15, Scholz spoke with Putin for the first time in nearly two years, urging him to withdraw Russian forces from Ukraine.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December, 1, 2024
This call was reportedly coordinated with US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zelensky, however, criticized the call, warning against engaging in dialogue with Putin, describing it as a potential "Pandora’s box."
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