Selenskyj at Ukraine conference in Berlin – speech in the Bundestag
Published: Tuesday, Jun 11th 2024, 05:10
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj has traveled to Germany and is expected to attend an international reconstruction conference for his country in Berlin this Tuesday. He intends to open the event together with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). In the afternoon, the head of state of the country attacked by Russia will also give his first personal speech in the Bundestag. It will be his third visit to Berlin since the Russian invasion began more than two years ago.
Zelensky announced on Platform X late on Monday evening that he had arrived. "In the face of Russia's air terror, urgent solutions for the Ukrainian energy sector will be our top priority," the president wrote.
2000 participants from 60 countries
Around 2000 representatives from around 60 countries are expected to attend the reconstruction conference. It is not a donor conference to raise money for reconstruction, but rather to network the relevant players from politics, business, civil society and international organizations. The aim is to launch initiatives to promote businesses or train skilled workers.
"This conference shows that there is a strong alliance behind Ukraine," Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) told the German Press Agency. Even under war conditions, it is important to tackle reconstruction.
Schulze said: "Ukraine has no choice. It cannot wait until the war ends. The people now need a roof over their heads, electricity, water and hospitals." The country also needs civilian support in order to survive the war.
The meeting will take place on the Berlin exhibition grounds. In honor of Ukraine, the radio tower there, a 147-meter-high landmark of the capital, was illuminated in the national colors of blue and yellow on Tuesday night. On Tuesday and Wednesday evening, the Berlin television tower at Alexanderplatz will also be illuminated in the colors of Ukraine until midnight.
Reunion in the Bundestag - this time live
Zelensky announced that talks with Scholz were also planned for his visit. He wanted to talk to the Chancellor about further defense support, the expansion of Ukrainian air defense and joint weapons production. Positions were also to be coordinated ahead of the peace conference planned for June 15 and 16 in Switzerland. Meetings with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas are also planned. Selenskyj also wants to visit a military base where Ukrainian soldiers are being trained.
Selensky had already spoken to MPs in the Bundestag on March 17, 2022, three weeks after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. At that time, however, he was connected live to the plenary chamber via video and virtually begged the Federal Chancellor for more military support: "Dear Chancellor Scholz, tear down this wall. Give Germany the leadership role it deserves."
Germany is Ukraine's second most important supporter
Germany is now the second most important supporter of Ukraine after the USA in terms of military and financial aid. However, Chancellor Scholz is still leaving Ukraine's wishes unfulfilled. For example, he does not want to supply Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometers and, unlike French President Emmanuel Macron, is strictly against sending NATO soldiers to Ukraine. Last week, Macron announced his intention to send military trainers to the war zone together with other countries.
Alongside Germany, the USA also does not want to participate. At an election campaign event in Duisburg on Saturday, Scholz also spoke out against other NATO countries sending soldiers to Ukraine. "There will be no soldiers from our countries in Ukraine, nor from NATO," he said.
Start of a series of summits
The conference is the first in a series of summits dealing with Ukraine. After the reconstruction conference, the G7 summit will take place in Apulia in southern Italy. Among other things, it will discuss how frozen Russian assets can be used to support Ukraine.
Afterwards, Scholz and Selenskyj will continue on to the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, which, according to the government in Bern, around 40 heads of state and government have registered for so far. A further 40 or so states are expected to attend with other senior government representatives.
Although this is the first such high-level international meeting on peace in Ukraine, it is not about peace negotiations. Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, is not taking part. Countries such as China and others with close ties to Russia have therefore declined the invitation. Moscow has dismissed the meeting as a Western propaganda event in support of Ukraine.
Rheinmetall and Ukraine open tank repair facility
Meanwhile, according to information from Kiev, the German armaments company Rheinmetall and Ukraine have opened their first joint tank repair facility and production plant. The keys to the workshop for the repair and maintenance of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle were handed over, the Ukrainian Ministry for Strategic Industries announced in Kiev. "The opening of a joint production facility with Rheinmetall is not only a step towards victory for Ukraine, but also an important stage in building the arsenal of the free world," said Minister Olexandr Kamyshin according to a statement.
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