Photo: telegram channel/ Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine(AFU) Oleksandr Syrskyi
On Saturday, 22 February, the Chief Inspector of the German Armed Forces(Bundeswehr), Lieutenant General Carsten Breuer, arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit. This was reported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine(AFU) Oleksandr Syrskyi on his Telegram channel.
“Ukraine is fighting for our freedom”
A video posted by Syrsky shows the generals warmly embracing during the meeting. In a brief address, Carsten Breuer said:
“Ukraine is fighting for our freedom. We admire your courage and dedication in confronting Russian aggression.”
It is interesting that the Bundeswehr press service did not announce the visit in advance for security reasons.
Discussion of military support
According to Oleksandr Syrskyi, during the meeting, he briefed his German counterpart on the operational situation at the front and spoke about the efforts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to switch to a corps structure.
“I expressed my sincere gratitude to the German people for their unwavering support of our fight against Russian aggression,” Syrsky wrote.
The key topics of the talks included:
– The needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for weapons, ammunition andspecial equipment.
– The issue of training Ukrainian soldiers inGermany.
– Discussion of the maintenance and repair of Germanmilitary equipment already in service in Ukraine.
German support for Ukraine
Germany remains one of Ukraine’s leading partners in arms supplies. Kyiv has already received Leopard 2 tanks, IRIS-T air defence systems, artillery, and significant amounts of ammunition.
The possibility of further supplies of long-range missiles and air defence equipment is also being actively discussed to strengthen Ukraine’s position in the face of possible spring offensives by Russian troops.
Carsten Breuer is a long-time friend of Ukraine
This is not General Breuer’s first visit to Kyiv. Previously, he visited Ukraine in February 2024 and May 2023 to assess the effectiveness of the German weapons supplied and discuss further steps in military cooperation.
What’s next?
The visit is expected to result in additional military assistance to Ukraine, as well as expanded training programmes for Ukrainian servicemen in Germany.
Syrsky noted that this meeting is another confirmation of the unwavering support of Ukraine by its Western partners in its struggle for independence.
