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German Defense Chief Pistorius Arrives in Kyiv, Condemns Brutal Russian Airstrikes
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv to hold high-level talks with Ukrainian officials regarding continued military assistance, German broadcaster Tagesschau reported on June 12.
“We are doing everything we can to support Ukraine so that it can defend itself and eventually reach a position where Russia is ready for serious negotiations,” Pistorius said upon arrival.
According to Welt, the German defense chief strongly condemned the latest wave of intensified Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, calling them “extremely brutal and threatening,” with heavy use of cruise missiles and drone attacks.
“This is a clear signal from Moscow: there is currently no interest in a peaceful resolution,” Pistorius said at Kyiv’s central train station. “The strikes continue with unrelenting brutality and are increasingly targeting civilian areas.”
His unannounced trip comes amid renewed debate in Germany over the country’s security and defense policy. A document signed by more than 100 individuals affiliated with the ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) recently caused a stir by calling for negotiations with Russia and opposing the deployment of new U.S. intermediate-range missiles on German soil.
The document, titled Manifest, was circulated by so-called “peace circles” within the SPD and reflects a growing internal divide over Germany’s role in the war and its military alignment with NATO and the United States.
Pistorius’s visit to the Ukrainian capital serves as a strong counter-message to those voices, underlining Berlin’s continued commitment to backing Ukraine both politically and militarily.
Earlier, the head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) Bruno Kahl, warned that Russia may attempt to test the credibility of NATO’s Article 5—the Alliance’s mutual defense clause triggered when any member state is attacked.
