On October 25, 2022, President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier went to Kyiv for an official visit. This visit was the German leader’s first trip to Ukraine since Russia’s military intervention. When Steinmeier arrived in Kyiv, he addressed the Ukrainians and stated that Germany would support Ukraine economically, politically, and militarily. He also sent a message to the German people and said that Ukrainians needed help. In this context, Steinmeier made a statement: “Let’s not forget what this war means for people in Ukraine. Such pain, such destruction. People in Ukraine need us.”[1]
Steinmeier was scheduled to visit Ukraine on October 20, 2022. However, the visit was cancelled due to the bombing of Kyiv. But in the process, other Western leaders continued to visit Kyiv. For example, President of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis visited the capital of Ukraine on October 20, 2022. The purpose of Cassis’s visit is described as “to have an on-site opinion on the military situation, the humanitarian situation, and the preparation for the reconstruction of the country”.[2]
As it will be remembered, relations between Kyiv and Berlin were strained in the spring of 2022 due to the rejection of Steinmeier’s visit. However, on April 12, 2022, Steinmeier was prepared to go to Kyiv with delegates from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, but the Ukrainian authorities said they did not want this trip to take place.
Ukraine’s attitude towards the President of Germany stemmed from Steinmeier’s advocacy of establishing close relations with Russia while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs. In addition, the German President was a hot supporter of the North Stream-2 Project and was therefore considered as an architect of Russian-German relations by political circles.[3]
In other news, after these developments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he did not intend to visit Ukraine until the German President was accepted. In this context, Scholz said that the attitude toward the President of Germany, which provides so much financial and military assistance for Ukraine, was not correct.[4]
After all these developments, Steinmeier arrived in Kyiv on October 26, 2022, and met with the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelenskyy on the same day. One of the main topics of the meeting was the provision of weapons to Ukraine. In this context, Steinmeier said, “I assured the President that the transfer of the two MARS systems will soon be carried out. Germany will also provide four of our PzH 2000 cases of abuse.” In addition, Steinmeier declared that he will deliver to Kyiv four new IRIS-T Air Defense Systems, one of which is already on the balance sheet of the Ukrainian army.[5]
According to Zelenskyy, Germany has recently changed its official rhetoric in favor of Ukraine. Zelenskyy has commented: “I would like to express my gratitude to Germany for its support. I am aware that besides your visit to the Chernihiv area, the German side is ready to participate in the restoration of Chernihiv. I am also satisfied with the results of our talks.” [6]
As it is understood, the Berlin administration is changing its Ukrainian policy. In the past, however, Germany was more concerned with its relations with Russia. The arms assistance carried out by the Berlin administration was also below Kyiv’s expectations. This affected Ukraine’s approach to Germany and pushed Kyiv to develop close relations with London.
Due to the situation in question, although Germany supplied weapons to Ukraine in order not to stay in the background, it also refrained from providing aid that would change the outcome of the war. In October 2022, three developments would cause Berlin to change its policy. The first of these is that Russia could not achieve the desired success in the war and therefore lost prestige in Berlin. This moved Germany away from its preference to attach importance to relations with Moscow.
Secondly, energy cooperation, the most fundamental component of German-Russian relations, is coming to an end. Because the Moscow administration, on the one hand, cut the natural gas flow to harm the German economy; on the other hand, Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 Natural Gas Pipelines, which are symbols of German-Russian cooperation, were sabotaged and rendered unusable. This led Germany to change its Russia-centered energy policy.
Third, the fact that Britain, which is trying to lead the Ukraine policy on behalf of Europe, is going through a politically unstable period, is seen as an opportunity by Berlin. It can be said that Steinmeier, who also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and knows Ukraine, is trying to gain an advantage in the European leadership struggle and shaping the European policy of the continent.
As a result, Germany wants to repair its relations with Ukraine and have a say in Ukraine’s future. Therefore, the Berlin administration has reviewed its policy regarding the country. This suggests that Germany could become one of the leading actors in the support of Ukraine.
[1] “Президент Германии Штайнмайер впервые приехал в Киев с момента вторжения РФ”, Focus, https://focus.ua/politics/534260-prezident-germanii-shtaynmayer-vpervye-priehal-v-kiev-s-momenta-vtorzheniya-rf-foto, (Erişim Tarihi: 26.10.2022).
[2] “Президент Швейцарии посетил Украину”, TASS, https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/16105089, (Erişim Tarihi: 26.10.2022).
[3] “Штайнмайеру в Киеве не рады: Зеленский не желает встречаться с немецким президентом”, Focus, https://focus.ua/world/512128-shtaynmayeru-v-kieve-ne-rady-zelenskiy-ne-zhelaet-vstrechatsya-s-nemeckim-prezidentom, (Erişim Tarihi: 26.10.2022).
[4] “Шольц назвал отказ Киева Штайнмайеру препятствием своему визиту на Украину”, İzvestiya, https://iz.ru/1329402/2022-05-03/sholtc-nazval-otkaz-kieva-shtainmaieru-prepiatstviem-svoemu-vizitu-na-ukrainu, (Erişim Tarihi: 26.10.2022).
[5] “Штайнмайер пообещал Украине скорую передачу РСЗО MARS и гаубиц”, Post Factum, https://postfactum.info/politics/shtaynmayer-poobeschal-ukraine-skoruyu-peredachu-rszo-mars-i-gaubic-12584.html, (Erişim Tarihi: 26.10.2022).
[6] Ibid.
