German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier asks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky why the Kyiv visit did not push through. An outlet, Der Speigel Magazine, mentioned it was not acceptable to the German leader.
Ukraine Cancels German President's Visit
According to the media outlet's statement on Friday, the two leaders spoke by phone for 45 minutes in May, reported RT.
The Ukrainian head of state reportedly apologized for Steinmeier's treatment by Ukrainian officials at the beginning of the session and mentioned a significant misunderstanding.
President Zelensky indicated his willingness to invite his German colleague to Ukraine for ceremonies like those honoring the end of World War II the same week after expressing gratitude to Berlin for all its help.
Steinmeier is claimed to have declined the invitation given the short notice, with a response that another date may be arranged later. Der Spiegel alleged the German president was not appeased by the offer, insisting that before consenting to any future events, past problems must be addressed first, noted Sekimo.
Based on reports, the German leader claimed that canceling his invitation was a "historic affront" to a head of state, unprecedented in peacetime. He reputedly noted that such an unforgivable breach of a diplomatic protocol called for an answer from Ukraine. There was an attempt to claim ignorance regarding the facts in mid-April, as the article says.
Still, the German president had the entire diplomatic exchange in writing on his desk, sternly rebuked the Ukrainian leader, and stated that there was nothing to gain from the Kyiv visit.
The Ukrainian leader resisted the German leader's pressure until he was met with an "evasive, but probably bruised reaction" from his counterpart after one more attempt by the Ukrainian president to placate his colleague.
Der Spiegel reports that many employees in President Steinmeier's administration are still shocked by the extreme severity the typically cautious president had shown during the phone discussion. According to reports, some employees are "a little proud" that their boss did not simply accept the insult.
When the media outlet contacted his office for an official response, it responded that it does not divulge the details of private discussions.
Germany Expressed Support for Ukraine
Following the phone chat in May, German authorities stated that the discussions were "extremely crucial" for both presidents. Steinmeier, according to the report, voiced support for Ukraine and was invited to Kyiv.
Steinmeier planned to visit Ukraine on April 13, together with his Polish counterpart and the presidents of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Ukrainian authorities have already chastised the German head of state for his relations with Russia. According to German media, the "Steinmeier formula," a 2016 attempt to execute the Minsk agreements in Donbas, is still connected to his name.
Additionally, he favored the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that would have connected Germany and Russia but was scrapped by Berlin after Moscow invaded its neighbor. German chancellor Olaf Scholz said the snub of Kyiv was perplexing and irritated many government officials.
Zelensky slighted the German president by canceling the Kyiv visit was not very polite, especially since Ukraine has criticized Germany for not giving arms, unlike other EU states.
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