German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius Photo: Martin Meissne
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, 14 January, to discuss further military support with the Ukrainian government. The visit remained secret for security reasons, Reuters reported.
Upon his arrival in the Ukrainian capital, Pistorius said he intended to assess the current military situation and reassure Germany’s readiness to continue supporting Ukraine.
“It is important for me to show with this trip that we will actively support Ukraine in the future,” the minister told dpa. “This is a signal that Germany, the largest NATO country in Europe, stands by Ukraine,” he added.
The day before, in Warsaw, Pistorius met with the defence ministers of Poland, France, Italy and the UK to discuss European assistance to Ukraine.
The minister noted that Berlin is interested in strengthening Ukraine’s defence industry. “If there is funding and production capacity, Ukraine will be able to provide its troops with the necessary weapons as quickly as possible,” he said in the Polish capital.
This trip to Kyiv takes place against the backdrop of a changing political situation in the United States: in less than a week, Donald Trump returns to the White House, calling into question the future of US military assistance to Ukraine.
