A pleasant and candid meeting with the Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz.
Congratulated Germany on Unity Day and noted how important this experience is for Ukraine. We talked a lot about the situation at the front, the needs of our army and state, the state of energy and economy, especially on the eve of a difficult autumn-winter season.
Noted that Putin is making a big bet on this period, hoping to break Ukraine. Our task is to stand firm, endure, and not break. Then he will break.
Was pleased to hear Chancellor Merz’s call for the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire. Only after this can we talk about real diplomacy and meaningful negotiations. Here our position is united. Europe needs to be at the negotiating table. The way to this is through further strengthening Ukraine: strengthening our army and air defense, developing the defense industry, joint investments and productions, scaling up Ukrainian technologies and inventions that have already proven effective on the battlefield.
Specifically noted the importance of supporting Ukrainian business, which today remains an important part of the state’s resilience. In particular, it is about expanding the possibilities of insuring businesses against war risks.
Paid special attention to Ukraine’s European integration. Thanked Chancellor Merz for the initiative to accelerate our entry into the EU. Everything that brings Ukraine closer to membership is important if it does not become an alternative to it. Emphasized the importance of opening the next two negotiation clusters and expressed hope that appropriate decisions will be made soon.
At the same time, a significant part of the path to the EU depends on Ukraine itself. On the reforms that our European friends expect. On fighting corruption, strengthening the rule of law, and democracy.
Agreed to continue maintaining close dialogue, in particular within our common political family — the European People’s Party.
Yesterday in Kyiv, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
We appreciate and are grateful for this visit during a very challenging time of trials, as well as for the specific announced decisions — additional military aid of one billion euros, energy support of 350 million euros, new agreements in the military-industrial and energy sectors. All this demonstrates the seriousness, consistency, and leadership of German support.
Grateful that the Chancellor met not only with representatives of the executive branch but also with representatives of parliamentary factions, including the opposition.
For me, as a representative of “European Solidarity,” it was an opportunity to discuss with Petro Poroshenko Ukraine’s military, financial and humanitarian support, and a reform agenda critically important for European progress.
Sincerely thanking for the help, we also emphasized that when holding elections in Ukraine is impossible, it is especially important to ensure democratic control in the parliament and inclusive dialogue involving the opposition in discussing state decisions. Even during the war and martial law, democracy, media pluralism, rule of law, independence of anti-corruption institutions, and the rights of parliamentary opposition remain fundamental.
We also talked about the expected opening of the next negotiation clusters for EU accession already in October. A lot will depend on Ukraine’s actions itself. We also underlined the importance for Ukraine to be part of the European and Euro-Atlantic security architecture.
There were also discussions about possible decisions regarding the gradual acquisition of membership by candidate countries in developing the previously announced initiative of the Chancellor. This is certainly not about replacing full membership, and accordingly, we must have a clear position and our vision of such developments.
Discussed internal political challenges in Europe from the perspective of supporting Ukraine. I am convinced that to overcome them, it is necessary not only to urgently change the approaches of European countries in countering external attacks. And as difficult as it may be to realize, we must also make efforts to restore the confidence of foreign societies in our country, which is bleeding in the fight for the right to be and have a future.
