Kyiv, Ukraine, June 12 (V7N) – German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv on Thursday for discussions with Ukrainian leaders, a visit that comes as Russia intensifies its bombardments across Ukraine. The trip marks Pistorius's first to Ukraine since Friedrich Merz took office as German Chancellor.

Details of the visit were not immediately provided by a ministry spokesman, but it follows a deadly Russian strike on Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv on Wednesday that killed three people and wounded 60 others.

Chancellor Merz on Tuesday condemned Russia's "terror against the civilian population" in Ukraine, calling Moscow's latest actions "anything but a proportionate response to the very precise Ukrainian attacks on military airfields and infrastructure in the last week."

Pistorius himself, upon arriving at the train station in Kyiv, stated that the intensifying Russian airstrikes were "extremely severe and threatening, involving a large number of cruise missiles and drone attacks." He added, "This sends a clear signal from Moscow: There is currently no interest in a peaceful solution, but rather attacks are continuing with undiminished severity and, above all, civilian areas in Ukraine are increasingly being attacked."

This visit underscores Germany's continued commitment to supporting Ukraine, a role that has significantly expanded under previous administrations, making Berlin a key military donor to Kyiv. During a recent visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin in May, Pistorius and his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, signed an agreement for 5 billion euros in military support, including funding for long-range weapon production in Ukraine.

The timing of Pistorius's visit is crucial, ahead of a G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, from June 15-17, and a NATO meeting in The Hague later this month (June 24-26). At both gatherings, allies are expected to pressure U.S. President Donald Trump to maintain aggressive policies against the Kremlin and continued support for Ukraine, especially as the U.S. has signaled potential reductions in military aid to Kyiv.

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