German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier came to Kyiv on Tuesday for his first visit to Ukraine since Russia's invasion started in February, as Western nations discussed a major plan to help rebuild Ukraine once the war concludes.
The German head of state, upon his arrival, declared that his gesture of "solidarity" to the Ukrainians was crucial for him in this period of "air strikes with drones, cruise missiles, and rockets."
The Kremlin's soldiers have destroyed houses, public structures, and the electrical infrastructure over eight months. The World Bank projects Ukraine's losses at $345 billion, according to AP News.
On his third attempt, Germany's mostly ceremonial president finally made it to Ukraine. Security considerations prompted the cancellation of President Steinmeier's trip last week.
As a result of the prolonged Russian onslaught on Ukrainian infrastructure in recent weeks, Steinmeier's visit came as Ukrainians prepared for colder temperatures and less electricity than usual this winter.
Steinmeier Pledges To Support Ukraine in Fixing Destroyed Facilities
When he arrived in Kyiv by train, Steinmeier told journalists that Germany will continue to support Ukraine "economically, politically, and also militarily."
The head of state went on to say that Germany had recently been one of the main exporters of air defense systems to Ukraine and that the international community needed to do everything it could to safeguard the Ukrainian people against aerial assaults, Reuters reported.
Germany's leader spoke out against the brutality of Moscow's forces in the Russia Ukraine War and expressed excitement about meeting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated that in addition to assisting the military, the main goal of his trip was to work as rapidly as possible before winter to rebuild damaged infrastructure, including electricity grids, water pipes, and heating systems.
A Social Democrat and former foreign minister, German President Steinmeier had expressed regret in supporting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was canceled due to the Russia Ukraine war. The project was intended to boost the supply of Russian gas to Germany.
His Social Democratic Party has long advocated for stronger economic relations with Russia as a means of securing Russia's place within a Western-oriented global order.
A Marshall Plan To Help Ukraine
Steinmeier's visit to Kyiv coincided with a Berlin conference on what its organizers claim needs to be a "Marshall Plan" to restore Ukraine, likening the task at hand to the United States' support of Europe's rebuilding after World War II.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who is present at the conference, claimed the cost of reconstructing Ukraine is $750 billion.
In April, Steinmeier and the presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia were scheduled to travel to Kyiv. The Ukrainian government, however, did not invite Steinmeier, noting his more amiable approach toward Russia as the cause.
German lawmakers were infuriated by the Ukrainian stance. Frank-Walter Steinmeier had already acknowledged his own faults in Russian policy.
DW reported that the diplomatic tension between the two European countries was not fully resolved until the beginning of May when Steinmeier spoke with his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Zelenskyy via a phone conversation. Steinmeier was invited by the Ukrainian leader to come to Ukraine.
Since then, several German officials have visited the nation torn by the Russia Ukraine War, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz.