Ukraine updates: Olaf Scholz makes surprise visit to Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his visit to Kyiv on Monday. 

"Today, Chancellor Scholz visited Ukraine. We had an extensive discussion — one of the longest bilateral meetings, in a special format, lasting more than two and a half hours," Zelenskyy said, while mentioning that the main focus of the talk was "air defense and strengthening our protection of the skies."

He mentioned that Germany is number one in Europe regarding aid to Ukraine: "I want to thank the Chancellor personally, as well as all of Germany — who stand so firmly with us. It is vital for Ukraine that the level of German support does not decrease in the future."

Zelenskyy said Scholz "saw specific Ukrainian weapons produced jointly with Germany that can significantly influence the situation at the front."

Zelenskyy thanked German companies that are working with Ukraine, and said "he discussed upcoming contacts with our European partners in the coming weeks, as well as the negotiations planned for this month" with Scholz. 

"Olaf, I want to personally thank you, and I extend my gratitude to your country — thank you, Germany!" Zelenskyy said.   

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a package of missiles, ammunition, anti-personnel mines and other weapons worth $725 million (roughly €690 million) for Ukraine on Monday. 

This comes as the outgoing Biden administration looks to ramp up deliveries before the handover to President-elect Donald Trump in January, amid questions on how that might impact Washington's stance on the conflict.

Blinken said in a statement that the package would include stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (or HIMARS), drones and land mines, among other items. 

"The United States and 50 other nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression," Blinken said.

Russia has been making gains in Ukraine's east in recent months and Russian airstrikes threaten the energy grid as winter sets in. 

It's the first time in decades the US has exported anti-personnel landmines, with their use contentious because of the potential to harm civilians and for long-term contamination of areas.

Neither Russia or the US are parties to the 1997 Ottawa Treaty banning their use, however, while Ukraine started requesting them soon after Russia's invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for holding a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in November, saying it could contribute to acknowledgment of the latter's goals in Ukraine.

"I don't think this strengthens Ukraine," said Zelenskyy, stood alongside Scholz in Kyiv.

"I think that one conversation can lead to a second, a third, a fifth, because then every head of state wants to take leadership," he argued, insisting:

"We can only ensure peace through strength, the strength of our weapons, our diplomacy, and our cooperation."

Scholz insisted that he told Putin during their conversation that Ukraine has the right to be an independent sovereign nation and urged the Russian leader to pull back his troops.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz continued to differ over the questions of long-range German missile deliveries and Ukraine's potential membership of NATO.

Despite the United States lifting restrictions on Kyiv's use of long-range American ATACMS missiles, and similar authorization given by the United Kingdom and France regarding the deployment of their Storm Shadow/SCALP equivalents, Scholz continues to withhold German Taurus missiles.

"It has to do with range and the need to control the target selection," he said, reiterating Berlin's argument that the high-tech weapons could only be deployed with targeting assistance from German personnel.

"For individual weapon systems, we have a certain assessment of whether it is right to make them available or not," Scholz said.

"The Taurus issue is a challenge," Zelenskyy responded, adding: "We've heard a lot about Germany's position and we are working to have more common ground [on the matter]."

Asked what difference he thought Taurus missiles could make on the battlefield, he said: "We could hit more military targets inside the Russian Federation."

As for Zelenskyy's long-term goal of an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, Scholz evaded questions.

"NATO has already passed resolutions on this topic," he said, referring to recent alliance summits in Vilnius, Lithuania and Washington, D.C.

On Friday, Zelenskyy had signalled that an offer of NATO membership for territory still under Kyiv's control could end "the hot stage of the war."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has once again stressed Berlin's "unwavering support" for Ukraine in its battle against the ongoing Russian invasion, and insisted that Kyiv can continue to rely on German backing.

"I am saying this very clearly to [Russian President Vladimir Putin here in Kyiv today: We have staying power. And we will stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary," Scholz said, speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Arriving in the Ukrainian capital on a surprise visit on Monday morning, Scholz announced an additional €650 million ($685 million) worth of military aid, including including air defense systems, howitzers, combat and reconnaissance drones and supplies of artillery ammunition.

Scholz insisted that Russia not be allowed to impose a "dictated peace" on Ukraine in any potential negotiations to end the ongoing war.

"Putin should not think that, at some point, he'll only have Ukraine alone as an enemy," said Scholz, before addressing a warning to Moscow:

"There is no point carrying on. It will lead to nothing. Ukraine will remain independent; it will survive and it will stand."

German military aid that will arrive in Ukraine in December includes IRIS-T air defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks and armed drones.

"Winter is just around the corner, so there will also be winter equipment, as well as hand-held weapons and warming devices," a German defense ministry spokesperson said just hours after Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv.

The ministry said that the deliveries were part of an aid package already announced by Berlin in October.

The Kremlin said Monday that it had no "expectations" from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Ukraine.

"Germany is continuing its line of unconditional support to Ukraine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Scholz spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.

Ukraine must find diplomatic solutions to retake some of its occupied territory from Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Japan's Kyodo News published on Monday.

The Ukrainian president said diplomacy could be an option "only when we know that we are strong enough," he told the news agency.

Zelenskyy said US President-elect Donald Trump and his team were evaluating the Ukrainian "victory plan" and expected more talks with them to explain "certain things in more detail."

Russia is bringing Asia into the war in Ukraine with the use of Chinese-made drones and deployment of North Korean troops on Russian territory, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Monday.

Baerbock, who is in Beijing, stressed the responsibility of permanent members of the UN Security Council, which includes China, not to add fuel to conflicts.

"Drones from Chinese factories and North Korean troops attacking peace in the center of Europe violate our core European security interests," Baerbock said after meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

Baerbock told Wang that "increasing Chinese support for Russia's war against Ukraine has an impact on our relations," according to a readout from Germany's foreign ministry.

"Core German and European security interests are affected," she said.

Beijing says it is neutral over the war in Ukraine and it will not send lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv for a surprise visit on Monday.

It is the first time Scholz has visited Ukraine in two and a half years.

"I traveled to Kyiv tonight: by train through a country that has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for over 1,000 days," Scholz said in a post on social media.

"I would like to make it clear here on the ground that Germany will remain Ukraine's strongest supporter in Europe."

The German leader will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as announce the delivery in December of further armaments worth €650 million ($685 million), German broadcaster ZDF cited Scholz as saying upon arrival.

Germany's support for Ukraine comes as Europe's largest economy is in a state of political flux, with nationwide elections set to take place in 2025.

Next year is also surrounded with uncertainty over the West's position on Ukraine, and in particular that of the United States, with Donald Trump due to assume the presidency at the end of January 2025.

Trump has given mixed signals over his Ukraine policy and has previously said he could resolve the conflict, without explaining how.

jsi/zc (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)