German Chancellor Scholz visits Kyiv, announces €650 million aid package, including IRIS-T systems

Zelenskyy announced this in his official Telegram channel. 

“Today, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Ukraine, and this is the first bilateral visit of the German Chancellor in over two years. We are grateful to Germany for all the support provided. Germany is a leader in Europe in helping Ukraine, and this helps us defend ourselves against Russian aggression and terror,” Zelenskyy wrote.

Zelenskyy and Scholz paid tribute to the Ukrainian soldiers whose lives were taken by Russian aggression at the People's Memorial of National Remembrance on Kyiv's Independence Square. 

Olaf Scholz and Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited military hospitals to meet with soldiers wounded in battles against Russia who are currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. They spoke with the defenders about the injuries they sustained while protecting Ukraine in the Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Sumy regions.

Earlier, Tagesschau and dpa reported the information about the visit.

The chancellor is to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  The talks are likely to focus on the situation at the frontline, as well as diplomatic initiatives that may come from the Trump White House to end the war.

"He announced further arms deliveries worth €650 million," the media wrote.

With his visit, the chancellor wants to make it clear that Germany will remain “the strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe.”

Aid package from Germany

Scholz announced a new German aid package for Ukraine on the X social network.

"Germany will remain the strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe. When I meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I will announce additional weapons worth €650 million to be delivered in December," he wrote.

At the same time, a spokesperson for the German Defense Ministry said that as part of this package, Ukraine will receive IRIS-T air defense systems, Reuters reports.

He also noted that Berlin would provide Kyiv with Leopard 1 tanks and attack drones, among other things.

"Winter is just around the corner, so there will also be winter equipment, as well as handguns and heating equipment," the German defense ministry spokesman added.

According to him, such supplies are part of Germany's military assistance announced in October.

• On October 11, Olaf Scholz announced a new aid package worth €1.4 billion to Ukraine by the end of the year.