President of the German Parliament Baerbel Bas met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zeleskiy in Kyiv Sunday to remember World War Two victims, discuss arms, and discuss Ukraine's desire to join the European Union (EU).
Zelenskiy stated that securing approval by the Bundestag for heavy arms deliveries to Ukraine in order to fend off Russian aggression was one of his country's top priorities.
Bas and the Bundestag were also requested to support Ukraine's bid for European Union membership. Kyiv's allies say they want it soon. But, the candidature must be approved unanimously. It is not common for accession to take years of complicated negotiations.
An emotional address was given by Zelenskiy for Victory Day. This is when Europe remembers the formal surrender to Germany to the Allies in World War Two. It stated that "evil" had returned to Ukraine but that it would not be able to avoid responsibility.
Bas said to Rheinische Post, a German newspaper, that she had promised Zelenskiy Germany's continued support and solidarity in Ukraine's struggle for survival.
In a story abstract published by the paper before publication on Monday, Bas stated that they also agreed that Russia should not dictate peace.
She stated, "We agreed that there should not be a dictated peaceful but only one was reached through fair negotiations."
She stated that the Bundestag would speed up all procedures pertaining to Ukraine's EU membership application.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will participate in a G7 virtual conversation on Sunday about the war in Ukraine. Zelenskiy will also be there.
Germany has agreed to supply Kyiv heavy weapons, including self propelled howitzers. This is a reverse of the long-standing policy not to send heavy weaponry to war zones because of Germany's Nazi past.
Moscow describes its February 24th actions as a "special military operations" to disarm Ukraine, rid it of "Nazis", and anti-Russian nationalism that it has been fomented by the West.
Russia's Victory Day, May 9, is a national event that recollects the great sacrifices made by the Soviet Union to defeat Nazi Germany.
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