On the eve of a hard wartime winter, Ukraine will receive additional support from Germany. After meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz assured: "We will continue to help until this war is over." This is reported by the German outlet tagesschau.
200 million euros for the winter
According to the dpa agency, the additional winter package will amount to 200 million euros: 100 million each is allocated in the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in development policy funds. Merz emphasized several times that Germany supports Ukraine also in its own interest, since the outcome of this war will determine the security of all of Europe for a long time to come.
Separately, the chancellor thanked German business: according to him, since the start of the full-scale invasion, not a single German company has left Ukraine.
"Responsibility lies with all Europeans"
Merz called on European partners not to reduce aid. NATO countries have agreed on military support for Ukraine for 2026 amounting to 70 billion euros, and it is now important that every ally fulfills its share. "Responsibility lies with all Europeans, not only with the Germans," the chancellor stressed.
Already on November 19, the leaders of the so-called "coalition of the willing" will gather in Berlin. There they plan to agree on the volume of support for Ukraine in 2027, primarily military aid.
Doubts about Moscow's readiness for negotiations
Merz stated that he does not yet see any genuine readiness in Russia for negotiations on a truce and a subsequent peace agreement. If Vladimir Putin accepts Donald Trump's invitation to the G20 summit in Florida next month, then, in the chancellor's view, Ukraine should be the first topic there, and the Ukrainian president must be at the table.
The chancellor also condemned recent Russian attacks on cargo ships in the Black Sea: according to him, Moscow is thereby provoking a global food crisis, from which the poorest countries will suffer the most.
Kyiv's priorities ahead of Abu Dhabi
Next week, on November 10–11, delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are to meet in Abu Dhabi. Zelensky named Kyiv's priorities for these negotiations:
- energy and critical infrastructure — a ceasefire on strikes against them;
- grain — ending the blockade of Black Sea shipping, in which, according to him, both Russia and the countries of Africa and Asia are interested;
- a prisoner exchange on an "all for all" basis;
- subsequently — a trilateral meeting at the leaders' level, preferably with Europe's participation.
Europe wants a seat at the table
Both leaders insisted that Europe must be involved in the peace process. "Friedrich and I share the view that there will be no stable peace if Europeans are not involved in the negotiations in one format or another," Zelensky said. Merz added that key elements of a future agreement, such as sanctions or the security architecture, cannot be resolved without Europeans.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine: civilian casualties have risen, attacks are increasingly aimed at the energy sector, and Ukrainian air defense is short of missiles and equipment. So for Ukrainians, particularly those living in Germany with relatives at home, this winter could be one of the hardest.
Source: tagesschau.de