Numerous EU leaders, including Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), have already visited the country invaded by Russia. However, it is the first visit for Scholz, Macron and Draghi. The German chancellor was under massive domestic pressure to travel to Ukraine. However, he had emphasized that he was concerned with content.
“I will not join a group of people who do something for a short in and out with a photo session. But when they do, then it’s always about very specific things,” emphasized Scholz, who also spoke to Selenskyj at the G7 summit at the end of June invited to Upper Bavaria.
Recommendation on EU membership application
The trip takes place one day before the EU Commission’s expected recommendation on Ukraine’s membership application. The Brussels authority is expected to propose granting Ukraine EU candidate status. An EU summit will be held in Brussels next week to decide. More than three months after the outbreak of war, the EU states are struggling to maintain their unity against the aggressor Russia.
At the end of May, however, after weeks of wrangling, agreement was reached on a sixth package of sanctions including an oil embargo.
Of the Ambassador of Ukraine in Germany, Andriy Melnyk, Scholz asked in a newspaper interview to promise further arms deliveries during the visit to Kyiv. Specifically, he should give the green light for the requested 88 Leopard 1 battle tanks and 100 Marder armored personnel carriers, which the Rheinmetall group could deliver immediately, Melnyk told the “Rheinische Post”. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told a meeting with NATO colleagues in Brussels that Germany could deliver three multiple rocket launchers to Kyiv in July or August, which had been promised.