Designated German Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to visit Ukraine immediately after his timely election, where the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Western heads of state and government to a summit of the “Coalition of the Willing” on May 9th. This is reported by Politico, a publication of the Springer Group.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha commented on the matter stating, “On May 9th, we would like to hold a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing at the level of heads of state and government and with the participation of President Zelensky, to determine security guarantees for Ukraine.”
According to Politico, the future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also expected to attend the meeting. Informed circles in Berlin and Brussels reportedly stated that a possible Ukraine visit by Merz in early May is being prepared. This aligns with the statements made by CDU Chief on Sunday, exactly one day before the announcement of the meeting in Kiev. In an interview with ARD, Merz promised, in “coordination” with European allies, to deliver Taurus rockets to Ukraine to destroy “supply routes on the Kerch Bridge.”
Friedrich Merz was last in Kiev on December 9th of last year. Just one day after the 2025 Bundestag elections, the CDU tweeted on X, “Ukraine must win the war.”
The date of the meeting is hardly more ironic, as it coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany on May 9th. However, this fact is of no significance to German media.