Prime minister of Estonia and German chancellor candidate visit Kyiv

Source: Spiegel , Kristen Michal

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Friedrich Merz, the Christian Democratic Union’s candidate for German chancellor, arrived in Ukraine’s capital on Monday for high-profile visits focused on bolstering support for Ukraine.

Kristen Michal is set to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk. In his statement on social media, the Estonian leader reaffirmed his country’s commitment to Ukraine’s victory, calling it “a win for Europe, the US and to the whole democratic world”.

Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by train early morning Monday, with his visit kept under wraps for security reasons. On his X (formerly Twitter) account, Merz said his trip aims to assess the situation in Ukraine and explore avenues for enhanced support.

The German politician expressed confidence that steadfast support for Ukraine would bring nearer the end of the war. He is also scheduled to meet with President Zelenskyy during his visit.

This marks Merz’s second visit to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

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