President of the German Bundesrat arrives in Ukraine in First Solidarity Visits

The President of the German Federal Council, Manuela Schwezig, arrived in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, on Monday, 24 June, on her first official visit to express solidarity with Ukraine from all 16 German federal states. 

This was reported by the German Bundesrat.

Manuela Schwezig is also the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany.

"During my visit, I want to make it clear that we, the German states, are committed to a course where the Federal Government supports and wants to continue to support Ukraine," Schwezig said in a statement.

The programme of Ms Schwezig's visit includes meetings with representatives of the Chernihiv region in Ukraine, with which Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has a regional partnership since January 2024. 

"We support the region, for example, by building shelters for schools. We also want to help with reconstruction. I participated online in a conference of local and regional authorities opened by the Ukrainian president, and attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin in person. Our commitment to Ukraine is intended to be permanent," the German official said.

Other German federal states have also signed partnership agreements in Ukraine. According to Manuela Schwezig, regional partnerships can quickly help Ukraine in the current emergency. "In the long term, they create connections between people and regions in Europe," she added.