- Category
- Latest news
Germany’s New Foreign Minister Makes First Trip to Kyiv, Vows Unwavering Support Against Russia
- Authors
![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Germany’s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, arrived in Kyiv for his first official visit to Ukraine since taking office—and delivered a clear message: Berlin remains firmly committed to Ukraine’s defense and freedom in the face of Russian aggression, Wadephul said on June 30.
“Good morning from Ukraine,” Wadephul wrote in a post on X upon his arrival in the Ukrainian capital.
Guten Morgen aus der Ukraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/mbvfuE0niz
— Johann Wadephul (@AussenMinDE) June 30, 2025
In a press briefing shortly after arriving in Kyiv, Wadephul criticized Russia’s latest missile strikes and described the ongoing war as an effort by Moscow to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, according to Deutsche Welle.
“Putin seeks to use force to prevent Ukraine from determining its own future,” Wadephul said. “His war is about nothing less than subjugation. He terrorizes Ukrainians with brutal bombing. Every day and every night, people die in their own homes—in Kyiv, in Odesa, in Dnipro. And yet, despite all the destruction and all the terror, Ukrainians continue to defend their country, their freedom, and their future with unwavering determination. They demonstrate incredible courage, strength, and resilience. That deserves our highest respect.”
Wadephul said his visit carried a firm commitment to deepen Germany’s support.
“Russia hopes we will weaken our assistance,” he stated. “But we will continue to stand firmly by Ukraine’s side so it can defend itself successfully—with modern air defense systems, military aid, humanitarian support, and economic assistance. That is the commitment I brought with me to Kyiv.”
The minister emphasized that defending Ukraine’s freedom is now Germany’s top foreign and security policy priority.
“This is not just about Ukraine. What’s at stake here is whether Europe remains a continent where freedom and human dignity are valued—or becomes a place where violence redraws borders,” Wadephul said.
“Ukrainians are defending not only their own sovereignty but also the security and freedom of all Europe from Putin’s aggression.”
He added that Ukraine has shown its willingness to end the war through “serious negotiations,” but stressed that “Putin refuses to step back from any of his maximalist demands. He does not want peace talks—he wants capitulation. And as long as that remains the case, we will continue to work within the EU and G7 to limit his ability to finance this criminal war through sanctions.”
Wadephul also sounded a warning for Germany itself: “Putin’s imperialist ideology is the greatest threat to security in Germany and Europe. That’s why NATO allies must invest 5% of their GDP into defense and security. This signals clearly that we are ready to permanently protect our freedom.”
Earlier, at least six German military trucks were destroyed in a suspected arson attack at a Bundeswehr facility in Erfurt, Germany, in what appears to be a Russian sabotage operation on NATO soil, revealed by a pro-Russian Telegram channel.
