Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was received by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday morning. He arrived at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, where he also wants to sign the guest book after a conversation with Steinmeier. Later, a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planned. Zelensky had arrived in Berlin during the night. "Already in Berlin," Zelensky tweeted early Sunday morning. "Weapons. Strong package. Air defense, reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security," he added – keywords for the possible topics of conversation in Berlin.
On Sunday afternoon, the Charlemagne Prize for European Merit, awarded to Zelensky and the Ukrainian people in December, will be awarded in Aachen. The explanatory statement emphasized Zelensky's role in repelling Russia's war of aggression: he was not only the president of his people and the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army. He is "also the motivator, communicator, the engine and the link between Ukraine and the great phalanx of supporters".
Arrival in the German military jet
An Airbus A319 of the Air Force's flight readiness had picked up Zelensky on Saturday evening in Rome, as the Air Force announced on Twitter. Two Eurofighters had taken off from Lechfeld Air Base in Bavaria and "escorted him safely to Berlin," it said. The Air Force also released two photos – one from the window of the plane with a view of one of the accompanying fighter jets, the other with a view of the Airbus.
Green parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann told the German Press Agency that Europe wanted to set an example with the award: "We stand by the side of the Ukrainians." There will be no slackening in support for Ukraine – "humanitarian, economic and with weapons". North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) spoke of a "strong signal in times of war". "With President Volodymyr Zelensky, a determined fighter for the values of a free Europe will be honoured in Aachen."
Last year, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and two comrades-in-arms received the Charlemagne Prize, and in 2021 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Francis are also award winners. The Charlemagne Prize is not endowed with any prize money.
First trip to Germany since the beginning of the war
In Germany, Zelensky was last at the Munich Security Conference a few days before the start of the war in February 2022. For the first ten months after the Russian invasion, he had not left the country at all. He changed that at the end of last year. In the meantime, the Ukrainian president has already been to Washington, Warsaw, Paris, London, Brussels, Helsinki and The Hague.
After the start of the war, Zelensky accused the German government of hesitation in supplying weapons to Ukraine. At the latest since the promise of Leopard 2 main battle tanks, however, this has subsided. Germany is one of Ukraine's most important supporters – both militarily and financially. Since the beginning of the war, the German government has approved arms deliveries worth 2.75 billion euros.