Russischer Angriffskrieg: Wadephul bei Ukraine-Besuch in Frontnähe
Erst politische Gespräche in Kiew, dann geht es in Richtung Front. Bei seinem vierten Ukraine-Besuch wagt sich der Außenminister erstmals bis tief in den Osten des Landes.
Bundesaußenminister Johann Wadephul, a member of the CDU, ventured to the Ukrainian city of Charkiw during his visit to the region, just about 30 kilometers away from the frontlines with Russia. During his visit, he addressed university students, toured a power plant that had faced six attacks from Russian missiles, and inspected a metro depot that had been heavily damaged in 2022.
On the "Day of the State Flag," Wadephul participated in a ceremony at one of Europe's tallest flagpoles, where the blue-yellow banner fluttered high at 101 meters. The city of approximately 1.4 million people has remained largely unchanged in population since the Russian invasion in 2022. Despite the constant threat, Charkiw serves as the first stop for many internally displaced persons.
Wadephul praised the "unimaginable resistance" of Charkiw's inhabitants, saying they demonstrated a "spirit fighting Russian aggression and maintaining life." He urged this spirit to be carried to Europe. During his fourth trip to Ukraine, this was Wadephul's first visit to the frontlines. The Ukrainian leadership viewed his visit as a visible sign of Germany standing behind them in their defense against Russia.
Baerbock had also visited Charkiw, as the precise location of Wadephul's visit remained secret due to security concerns until after his departure from the city. The journey from Charkiw to Poltava took about six hours by car. Foreign leaders visiting frontlines in Ukraine are rare, but Wadephul was not the first to take such a risk.
Annalena Baerbock had visited Charkiw in 2023, but had to cancel a subsequent visit due to being followed by a drone.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
