Emergency energy aid etc.

Baerbock in Kiev: “Leave no stone unturned”

From left: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock(Bild: AP/Anatolii Stepanov)

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has traveled to Ukraine and pledged her support to the war-torn country (see video above). Her government recently extended the so-called winter protection umbrella by an additional 200 million euros for emergency energy aid. 

Baerbock said in Kiev on Monday that this was in response to destroyed heating plants and power lines. The money will be used, for example, to provide fuel for houses close to the front line without an energy supply and to provide the population with blankets or warm winter coats "against the icy temperatures". Germany is standing "rock-solid by Ukraine's side". "We will support the Ukrainians for as long as they need us so that they can continue on their path to a just peace."

Meeting with Selensky and soldiers
Almost 1000 days after the start of the war, the Green politician traveled to the country for the eighth time since February 2022. She met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, among others. At lunchtime, Baerbock visited a Cheetah air defense position of the military near the capital and spoke with soldiers there.

From left: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock(Bild: AP/Anatolii Stepanov)

The two laid flowers at a memorial site.(Bild: AFP/Anatolii Stepanov)

Two thirds of the energy infrastructure destroyed
To date, your government has supplied 55 Gepard tanks with spare parts and 176,000 anti-aircraft shells from Bundeswehr and industrial stocks to defend against Russian air strikes. She had asked for more material and ammunition for the air defense, Baerbock said on Monday. After the air defense position, she was shown an energy plant in the greater Kiev area. This has already been hit several times by Russian missiles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is now also seeking weapons assistance from North Korea. He is bombing power plants and destroying power lines all over the country, said Baerbock. Almost two thirds of the energy infrastructure has now been destroyed, electricity and heat are missing.

"Depends on each individual air defense system"
"We are leaving no stone unturned globally, it depends on every single air defense system," assured the minister. Putin had wanted to separate Ukraine from Europe for good, but today the country is closer to the EU than ever. The reform course for EU accession is "courageous".

Meanwhile, the east of Ukraine remains heavily contested. According to the rescue service, at least 13 people were injured in air strikes on the city of Kharkiv and its suburbs. A supermarket was reportedly hit.