Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Berlin for 'victory plan' talks

The Ukrianian president's European whirlwind tour was originally supposed to culminate with talks with President Joe Biden, just a matter of weeks before elections in the US. 

However, these plans changed when Biden said he would cancel his trip to the US' Ramstein Air Base in Germany to chair a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group. 

Biden said he would stay behind to help deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton instead. 

Two hurricanes in fairly short succession hitting the southeast of the US have turned into something of an election football in recent weeks, even though presidents typically never visit disaster areas until the immediate danger is passed — for fear that their presence and the resources this demands detracts from rescue efforts. 

The election on November 5 could prove decisive for Ukraine and its European allies in 2025, particularly in the event that Republican candidate Donald Trump wins. 

However, western leaders including new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte have been trying to play down this prospect this week. Rutte said in London on Thursday, also in Zelenskyy's presence, that he had no concerns about a potential future Trump administration withdrawing support for Ukraine. 

Prosecutors in Ukraine say an existing war crimes investigation has been expanded to include the possibility of murder after a Ukrainian journalist died in Russian detention.

Victoria Roshchyna disappeared in August 2023 after traveling to the Russian-held east of the country on a reporting trip. 

It was only several months later, in April this year, that Russian authorities told her relatives she was being detained, according to Ukraine's main journalist union. 

Petro Yatsenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's prisoner of war coordination headquarters, said on Thursday that she had died in detention.

"In connection with the information about the death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna in Russia, the criminal proceedings opened over her disappearance have been reclassified as a war crime combined with premeditated murder," the Prosecutor General's office said on Friday.

Zelenskyy praised Roshchyna and her work; the reporter had risen to prominence by offering Ukrainians a rare glimpse into life in Russian-occupied territory during the opening phases of Moscow's invasion. 

"For many journalists who knew Victoria, her death is a real blow," Zelenskyy said. "And there are still many other journalists, public figures, community leaders from occupied territory, and even ordinary people who were captured during the Russian occupation, in Russian captivity." 

Roshchyna was awarded the 2022 Courage in Journalism award by the International Women's Media Foundation for her reporting from eastern Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said continued support for Ukraine was crucial in order to make it clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "playing for time will not work" in the conflict. 

Appearing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy in Berlin, Scholz said Germany's support for Kyiv would not waver.

He also said that this conviction would also be the basis "on which we together explore all possibilities for routes towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine." 

Scholz said that he and Zelenskyy were agreed that there should be another peace conference, and that Russia should participate this time. 

"What's clear is that a realization of peace can only come to pass in accordance with international law," Scholz said, adding "we will not accept any peace dictated by Russia." 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Germany and Scholz for their "strong support" for Ukraine, and also for fresh pledges for funding in 2025. 

At a meeting with Zelenskyy in Berlin, Scholz announced a €1.4 billion ($1.53 billion) military aid package by the end of 2024. 

"We need to think about next year, and to think about keeping up the level of support," Zelenskyy said.

He said German assistance in areas like air defense "saves thousands of Ukrainian lives and gives our villages and cities a chance to protect ourselves." 

He noted more advanced weaponry Germany sent, often after some internal delays and discussions, including IRIS-T surface-to-air missile systems and "Gepard" or "Cheetah" armored vehicles.

Zelenskyy said his country wanted a "just peace" and "victory" against Russia, and, like Scholz, accused Russia of having no interest in talks. 

"We see that Russia is not interested in honest diplomacy or in ending this war according to the UN statutes.

"We demand a just peace for Ukraine, a victory for us, and that is what we are working on every day," he said. 

He said that, to this end, he wanted to present Scholz with Kyiv's plan "as to how we believe we can force Russia to agree to peace and end this war." 

"We would like this to happen next year, 2025," he said but also said "we have to build a bridge to a peace summit that generates results that can draw a line under this war." 

He concluded by saying he believed that "together with our partners," this plan could be realized, and "we are counting on German support."

Germany's 2024 budget earmarks €7.1 billion for Ukraine military assistance in 2024, and foresees €4 billion for 2025.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Germany would remain a major donor, the second largest in gross terms, for Ukraine this year and next. 

"I can promise you that this will continue," Scholz said alongside Zelenskyy in Berlin. 

The chancellor also referred to Ukraine's energy infrastructure as "the third winter in this murderous war approaches." 

He said that Russia was intentionally targeting Ukraine's power generation and supply facilities, in order to break the endurance of the civilian population, clearly that is Putin's aim." 

Germany would "help Ukraine in very specific terms" in this area, Scholz said, noting fresh funds and other agreed measures seeking to assist.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy touched down in Berlin on Friday, television footage showed, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz greeting him at his offices. 

The Ukrainian president and German chancellor could be seen walking away from the helicopter Zelenskyy had arrived in.

 

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock praised the decision to give the Nobel Peace Prize to the Japanese anti-nuclear weapons group Nihon Hidankyo on Friday. 

Without mentioning Russia by name, she seemed to indicate it also served as a signal in Moscow's direction. 

"Particularly in times, when aggressive powers are again threatening the use of nuclear weapons, it is all the more important that the world makes clear what peace means," Baerbock said. "Peace means that such weapons are never used." 

Baerbock was speaking alongside her Slovakian counterpart, Juraj Blanar, who visited Berlin for talks on Friday. 

The German foreign minister also appealed for more support for Ukraine's air defense, saying Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure with winter approaching were an attempt "to force people in Ukraine into a brutal and cold war." 

Baerbock said roughly two-thirds of Ukraine's energy facilities had been damaged or destroyed.

She said that Ukraine's President Zelenskyy, expected soon after in Berlin, was "ready for a just peace," but alleged that the same could not be said of Russia's Vladimir Putin.

The co-chair of the Japanese atomic bomb survivors' group Nihon Hidankyo, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday morning, has made an emotional plea against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and other conflicts.

"It has been said that because of nuclear weapons, the world maintains peace. But nuclear weapons can be used by terrorists," Toshiyuki Mimaki said.

"For example, if Russia uses them against Ukraine, Israel against Gaza, it won't end there. Politicians should know these things."

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not willing to discuss the war in Ukraine with German Chancellor Olaf Sholz, Germany's foreign minister said on Friday.

"He refuses to accept peace and every day sends another signal in favor of war and destruction. These days, he is no longer even prepared to speak to the German chancellor on the phone," Annalena Baerbock told reporters in Berlin.

The comments come hours after a national poll found that a majority of Germans want the two leaders to speak over the phone.

Pope Francis held a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican City on Friday morning.

They discussed the topic of children and adults who have been captured and deported by Russian forces during their talks on Friday, the Ukrainian president said.

"The issue of bringing our people home from captivity was the main focus of my meeting with Pope Francis," Zelenskyy said on social media.

"We are counting on the Holy See’s assistance in helping to bring back Ukrainians who have been taken captive by Russia."

The two leaders exchanged gifts at the end of the 35-minute meeting.

Francis gifted the Ukrainian leader a bronze sculpture of a flower growing next to a bird, inscribed with the phrase "Peace is a fragile flower."

Zelenskyy gave the pope an oil painting depicting a child amid ruins in Bucha, a town that Russian forces occupied for 33 days in 2022.

The pope has frequently called for peace in Ukraine and prays for its "martyred" people. However, he sparked outrage in Kyiv earlier this year after an interview where he called on Ukrainians to enter talks with Russia.

Friday's meeting was Zelenskyy's second private audience at the Vatican since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Earlier, on Thursday, Francis also met with the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk.

Ukraine controls around half of the strategically important city of Toretsk in the east, Ukrainian officials said on Friday.

The Ukrainian military has reported eight clashes around the hilltop city in the Donetsk region over the past day.

It comes as Russian forces have gradually pushed further into Ukraine in recent weeks.

"Approximately 40-50% of the city can be said to be under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces, while the rest of the territory is captured by the enemy," said Vasyl Chynchyk, head of Toretsk city military administration.

Chynchyk said that around 1,150 people remain in the city, with evacuations continuing.

At least four people were killed by Russian strikes on Odesa overnight, Ukrainian authorities said on Friday morning.

Regional Governor Oleg Kiper said the Russian strikes destroyed a two-storey building in the Black Sea port city.

"The enemy attacked the Odesa region with ballistic missiles. Four people were killed, including a teenager," Kiper said on social media.

Another 10 people were wounded, he added.

A majority of Germans want Chancellor Olaf Scholz to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a survey released on Friday.

The poll was conducted by opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of Germany's DPA news agency.

The results showed that 59% of respondents were in favor of the two leaders talking over the phone, while 26% opposed it and 15% did not provide an answer.

The figure increased in eastern Germany, where 68% of the respondents said they wanted the two leaders to talk, compared to 19% who said they opposed it.

Putin and Scholz have almost entirely not spoken since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Turkmenistan on Friday ahead of a summit hosted by Ashgabat where he is due to speak, Russian state media reported.

Regional leaders including Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian are set to attend the event.

Putin is also due to hold talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will continue his two-day European tour on Friday.

He is set to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican City on Friday morning, before traveling to Germany.

In Berlin, Zelenskyy will hold talks with Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The leaders are expected to discuss arms deliveries as well as a potential peaceful solution to the conflict.

Zelenskyy's planned meetings on Friday follow similar talks in London, Paris and Rome on Thursday.

msh,zc,rmt/wmr (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)