Insider information from Berlin indicates that high-ranking German defense officials, including the Inspector General of the Armed Forces, Carsten Breuer, and Major General Christian Freuding, who leads the defense ministry’s team coordinating aid to Ukraine, made an unpublicized visit to Kyiv. A tabloid report described the trip as a quiet encounter with Ukrainian counterparts and noted the visit was not disclosed in advance. The publication cited the impressions of German representatives who were in Kyiv at the request of Ukrainian authorities, and the details were confirmed by the press office of the German Ministry of Defense. (Bild)
According to the report, the German delegation was welcomed by Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who, it had been announced earlier by President Volodymyr Zelensky, was approaching changes in leadership. The two sides reportedly discussed the current needs on the ground and the challenges anticipated in the near future, with Berlin signaling an interest in maintaining a steady line of support. The German Ministry of Defense reportedly provided the information regarding the meeting to Bild and stressed its importance in aligning military aid with Kyiv’s evolving requirements. (Bild)
The article suggested that the Kyiv discussions were kept under wraps, with the secrecy surrounding the plans described as deliberate. Berlin has emphasized that its assistance to Ukraine since February 2022 surpasses 27 billion euros, and the government indicated plans to raise annual aid from 4 billion euros to a figure between 7 and 8 billion euros in the current year. Ukrainian officials have shown interest in Taurus long-range missiles, but Berlin has not yet granted permission for their delivery. (Bild)
In the broader parliamentary context, Deputy Speaker of the Bundestag Katrin Göring-Eckardt spoke in early February about the Polish line of thought regarding funds frozen from Russian assets in the European Union. Her remarks suggested a shift toward utilizing the assets tied to the Russian central bank for broader support to Ukraine, while also calling for the potential supply of Taurus missiles from Germany to Kyiv as part of a wider strategy. (Bild)
Earlier, the discussion touched on statements from a senior U.S. adviser regarding a pause or modification in arms supplies to Ukraine, reflecting ongoing adjustments in allied military assistance policies as the situation develops and the needs on the ground evolve. (Bild)