German Finance Minister Arrives in Kyiv
Christian Lindner, the Finance Minister of Germany, has arrived in Kyiv for negotiations during his first visit to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion approximately 18 months ago.
This was reported by the German Ministry of Finance on Monday via Twitter.
Lindner, who last visited Ukraine in 2020, stated upon his arrival that the reason for Russia's attack was Ukraine's choice in favor of democracy and a market economy.
The German Finance Minister met with the head of the Ukrainian government. Following the meeting, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal noted that during the negotiations, Lindner emphasized that "Germany will continue to support Ukraine, and our cooperation projects will be long-term." Shmyhal added that Ukraine and Germany are working on five investment projects totaling around €247 million. He further stated that they also discussed three additional projects worth over €70 million.
"We count on the participation of German businesses in Ukraine's post-war reconstruction," he said.
Shmyhal also emphasized the need to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation and to confiscate Russian assets that could become a primary source of reconstruction funding.
During his time in Kyiv, Lindner also met with Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and Ukrainian military personnel who were trained in operating the German IRIS-T air defense systems.
"In his talks with Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, Deputy Defense Minister Andriy Shevchenko, and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Minister Lindner underscored that the Ukrainian people can continue to count on Germany's support in their fight for freedom," the ministry's statement read.
The German Finance Minister also expressed support for transferring long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
Christian Lindner mentioned that consultations are currently ongoing with allies regarding this matter.
"As I know that many support such assistance – as do I personally – I hope for a quick resolution of these issues," Lindner stated.
Earlier, The Gaze reported that a group of influential politicians from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), part of the ruling coalition, called on the German government to supply Ukraine with modern German-Swedish Taurus missiles.
"Counterattacks are slowing down, and Ukraine lacks significant capabilities for its military air forces to support it. Thus, guided weapons remain the only option, like the 'Taurus' cruise missiles, which allow the Ukrainian army to overcome the minefields set up by the Russians and regain territory," said Andreas Schwarz, who is also a member of the German parliament's budget committee.
The politician also noted a sense of déjà vu in the current situation:
"Just like in the situation with tanks, we are now refusing to provide important equipment to Ukraine, which eventually will be supplied anyway," he said.
As reported by The Gaze, Ukraine officially requested Germany to supply Taurus cruise missiles. This move could change the course of the war against Russia.
Everything indicates that Ukraine wants to acquire German cruise missiles to support its counteroffensive. The official request was received in Berlin in May and has been reviewed several times since, considering that France and the United Kingdom already supply a similar type of missile, the "Storm Shadow."