Julia Klöckner, President of the German Bundestag, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday morning for a visit that marks the first time a German parliamentarian has addressed the Ukrainian parliament. She was invited to speak by Ruslan Stefantschuk, the president of the Verkhovna Rada.
During her stay, Klöckner will also meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and members of the parliamentary opposition. The discussions will center on Germany’s continued support for Ukraine, the broader geopolitical situation, and the resilience of parliamentary democracy during wartime-issues that the Verkhovna Rada has been addressing daily since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
“Now, as attention increasingly focuses on the situation in the Middle East, we must not lose sight of the Russian war against Ukraine” Klöckner said. “Those who let this happen are underestimating the impact on security in Germany and across Europe”. She added, “If the principle of the strongest prevails in Ukraine, no European country will be truly safe. That is why we continue to support Ukraine and strengthen parliamentary cooperation”.