**German Chancellor Visits Ukraine**
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a surprise visit to Kyiv on December 2. He reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Scholz arrived by train and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He pledged an additional €650 million in military aid to Ukraine. This brings the total amount of military equipment and weapons provided or committed by Germany to around €28 billion since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
Germany is now the second-largest supplier of arms to Ukraine after the United States. Scholz said that Germany has provided more military support this year than the UK and France combined.
**Solidarity with Ukraine**
Scholz described Ukraine’s defense against Russia as “heroic” and said that Germany will remain the strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe. He emphasized the importance of solidarity with a country under attack for over 1,000 days.
The visit comes at a critical time for Ukraine, which is facing increasing military pressure from Russian forces. Scholz’s engagement with Ukraine dates back to before the Russian invasion, and he has previously visited the country in February and June 2022.
**No Long-Range Weapons**
Despite pressure from some NATO allies, Scholz ruled out providing long-range weapons, including Taurus cruise missiles, to Ukraine. He expressed concerns that such actions could provoke a Russian escalation.
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