Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv early on Monday.
The conservative candidate for chancellor in the country’s upcoming snap elections was visiting the country for the second time since the Russian invasion began in 2022.
Merz said he wanted to use the visit to inform himself “of the present condition of the defense of this country” and assure it of Germany’s continued backing.
“If our support for Ukraine is consistent, then this war will end more quickly,” Merz added.
The CDU leader is also scheduled to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Future uncertain
Merz’s visit to show support comes at the time when the future of the war is increasingly uncertain. It is not yet known if US President-elect Donald Trump will continue to provide Ukraine with aid, and Ukrainian forces have been losing territory along the Russian border.
Russia has also stepped up drone strikes on energy infrastructure as Ukraine settles in to the bitter cold of the winter months.
Germany is the second-largest supplier of military equipment to Ukraine after the United States. So far, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has refused to send Kyiv the long-range Taurus missiles it has repeatedly asked for. Merz has said that if he is elected in February, he will reverse that decision.
es/rm (AFP, dpa)