Selenskyj in Berlin: The demand for fighter jets could spark a new conflict

For a long time it was uncertain whether he would come at all: it was not until Saturday afternoon that the German government confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would visit Berlin on Sunday. There he met German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Zelenskyy has visited Washington, London, Brussels, Warsaw, Oslo, The Hague and Rome since the Russian invasion of his country last February; he avoided the German capital until Sunday.

Relations between Berlin and Kiev have long been regarded as tense – because of the pro-Russian policy that Germany had pursued in the past, but above all because of Scholz’s hesitant attitude to arms deliveries: Berlin only finally decided to deliver main battle tanks to the Ukraine.

Scholz praises himself for his caution

Shortly before Zelenskyj’s visit, the chancellor had announced military aid worth €2.7 billion. This would include Leopard 1 main battle tanks, Gepard anti-aircraft gun tanks, Marder-type armored personnel carriers and anti-aircraft systems.

Selenskyj accordingly expressed his gratitude when Scholz and he appeared before the press on Sunday morning: The “very important aid” shows the will of the German people to defend freedom, said the president, who also wore his signature outfit in Berlin: black sweatshirt , olive green pants.

Scholz promised further assistance and called on Russia to withdraw from Ukraine. He still did not want to call a Ukrainian victory a goal. This should consist of “rejecting” the Russian attack. The chancellor also justified himself: Partly due to his “cautious” policy, support for Ukraine among the German population was “uninterruptedly high”.

Selenskyj Scholz should not make it easy in the future either: his visits to various European capitals also aimed to form a “jet fighter coalition”, the president said on Sunday. Scholz rejects the delivery of fighter jets. Selenskyj’s visit doesn’t seem to have changed that.

The president denies plans of attack

The Ukrainian president indicated that he would continue to press Berlin in the future: Germany is second only to the US in military aid, he praised, adding: “We will work to put Germany first to put.” His host acknowledged this remark with a laugh.

A report from the “Washington Post” on Saturday should confirm Scholz’s fears of an escalation of the conflict: The newspaper had cited US intelligence reports that Selenskyj wanted to occupy Russian towns near the border to strengthen his own bargaining position. When asked in Berlin, the Ukrainian president denied such intentions: his country lacked the time and strength to attack Russian territory. (aargauerzeitung.ch)