Andriy Melnyk's clear criticism of Germany's policies has long been an integral part of the debate about Russia's war against Ukraine.

Kiev's ambassador in Berlin criticizes the attitude of the federal government because, in his opinion, it is delivering too late and too few weapons to Ukraine for its fight against the Russian aggressor.

And that too many politicians in Berlin are of the opinion that Ukraine has no chance of defending itself against the Russian attackers anyway.

Eckhart Lohse

Head of the parliamentary editorial office in Berlin.

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But Melnyk's recent statements have a new quality.

At the weekend he accused Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of "holding the fort" for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Berlin.

Only Habeck gets off well

Melnyk had given the newspaper "Tagesspiegel" a long interview.

In it he criticized Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) for denying the possibility of Ukraine's victory in a conversation with him.

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) rebuked the ambassador because she communicated poorly on the subject of arms deliveries.

Only Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) got off very well because he released the funds for a weapons delivery very quickly, even on a weekend.

"My happiest day, in the middle of the war," Melnyk recalls.

But the real target of the ambassador's criticism was the German head of state.

Melnyk had already described Steinmeier's invitation to a concert in which Russian musicians were also taking part as an impertinence and had canceled it.

In the interview, he now devotes a long passage to the Federal President.

After the outbreak of war he asked Steinmeier for an interview.

"No reaction." A meeting with the President's foreign policy adviser is to take place soon.

Sensitivity is a "foreign word" for Steinmeier, at least when dealing with Ukraine.

The concert was not a mistake on Steinmeier's part, but "a conscious decision".

For the Federal President, "the relationship with Russia was and remains something fundamental, even sacred, no matter what happens, even the aggressive war doesn't play a major role".

"A spider web of contacts with Russia"

Melnyk said that for Russian President Vladimir Putin there is no Ukrainian people, no language, no culture and therefore no state.

"Steinmeier seems to share the idea that the Ukrainians are actually not a subject." The concert was a "clear signal" to Moscow, "perhaps even to show Putin: I'm holding the fort here".

Steinmeier had "made a spider's web of contacts with Russia" for decades.

This involves “many people who are now in charge at the traffic lights”.

When asked about Steinmeier's speech on the day of his re-election in February, in which he sharply criticized Putin's war, Melnyk flatly denied that the president had recognized his "mistakes in Russia policy".

Melnyk's comments were published on a day when reports were being released about the particularly horrific events in Bucha, near Kyiv, which until recently had been controlled by the Russian military.

That's what the reactions in Berlin focused on.

Steinmeier, denounced as a friend of Russia, had a message sent out in which he sharply criticized the "war crimes committed by Russia".

"The pictures from Bucha shock me, they shock us deeply." Ukraine is the victim of a criminal attack by Russia.

No comment from the Chancellery

He did not defend himself against Melnyk's allegations.

It almost sounded like the opposite.

"Ukraine's representatives have every right to accuse Russia and demand solidarity and support from their friends and partners."

The chancellery was completely concerned with the reaction to the reports from Butscha.

No comment on the criticism of the Federal President.

The Foreign Office and the leaders of the SPD and CDU also did not want to comment.

After all, that was what two foreign politicians from the Bundestag did.

"Melnyk is doing himself a disservice if he makes his criticism, which is partly justified, unacceptable through his choice of words," said FDP MP Alexander Graf Lambsdorff of the FAZ

The CDU foreign politician and member of the Bundestag Johann Wadephul made a very similar statement in an interview with the FAZ. He understands Melnyk's criticism of the federal government because it is "undecided" in supporting Ukraine.

But with terms like "spider web" he crosses borders.