Russia-Ukraine War: Zelenskyy to Visit Berlin on May 13, Says German Police

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will reportedly be traveling to Germany this month, according to German police. Zelenskyy’s visit is also said to be at the invitation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

According to reports by local media and the comments of German police, Zelenskyy is set to travel to Germany on May 13 upon invitation by Scholz and would later visit the western German city of Aachen to receive the 2023 Charlemagne prize. The Berlin Daily Tagesspiegel reported that Zelenskyy would be received by Scholz with military honors.

“At the invitation of the Federal Chancellor, the President of Ukraine, Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is expected to make an official visit to Berlin and Aachen from May 13 to 14,” said the federal police in a statement to Reuters.

However, the government spokesperson did not confirm the details of the visit and said that Scholz’s appointments were announced every Friday for the following week. A security source familiar with the matter also told Reuters that because of the confirmation by the police, Zelenskyy’s visit remains to be confirmed.

German media outlet T-Online said Kyiv was disappointed in Berlin’s handling of the upcoming visit, according to sources close to the Ukrainian leadership. The sources apparently said the announcement was “irresponsible,” and there is now doubt on whether the trip could still happen.

Zelenskyy has only usually addressed overseas meetings abroad via video since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year. The rare occasions of Zelenskyy traveling overseas are also not usually disclosed in advance for security reasons.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom said a drone strike is suspected to be behind the fire that broke out in a Russian fuel depot in Volna, on the Russian side of the Kerch Strait close to the Crimean Bridge. The British defense ministry said this followed previous instances of Russian fuel depots getting damaged since the beginning of the war, citing that fuel depots in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine and the border regions are especially vulnerable to such strikes.

“The disruption to the fuel storage and distribution network will likely force adjustments to Russia’s military refuelling operations to mitigate targeting,” said the ministry.