"Everything has limits": Kubicki criticizes Ukraine for disinviting Steinmeier

After the Ukrainian leadership's affront to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Deputy FDP Chairman Wolfgang Kubicki initially ruled out Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveling to Kyiv.

"I cannot imagine that the chancellor of a government supported by the FDP travels to a country that declares our country's head of state an undesirable person," said Kubicki of the German Press Agency in Berlin.

The Vice President of the Bundestag was reacting to Steinmeier's invitation, who wanted to travel to Kyiv together with the Presidents of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Steinmeier said on Tuesday evening in Warsaw on the sidelines of a visit that he had to accept that this was apparently not wanted in Kyiv.

Kubicki explained that he had every understanding of the political leadership in Ukraine.

The country is fighting for its survival.

"But everything has its limits.

I don't think that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was well advised to reject the offer of such a visit not only from Germany."

There was also criticism from the Social Democrats.

SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich said: "The Federal President's trip to Kyiv would have been a clear foreign policy sign of solidarity.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier is Germany's highest-ranking representative and represents the federal government under international law," said Mützenich of the "Rheinische Post".

Germany has provided Ukraine with economic support for many years and has also provided humanitarian and military support since the beginning of the war.

"I remain convinced that a visit by the Federal President could have underscored the continued support of our country."

Melnyk: Ukraine would be happy if Scholz visits Kyiv

The SPD foreign policy expert Nils Schmid argued in a similar way: “It is more than annoying.

We are friendly countries and it would have been a good sign if Steinmeier had traveled to Kyiv with the other heads of government," Schmid said on Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday.

Kiev's decision was met with "complete incomprehension by many in Germany".

Schmid took the view that the cancellation only distracted from the actual questions.

“The Europeans and NATO want to continue supporting Ukraine.

And then you also need appropriate interaction between friendly nations and, of course, with our head of state," said Schmid.

The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Andrij Melnyk, explained that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) would continue to be a welcome guest in Kyiv.

"We also communicated that my President and the government would be very happy if Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Kyiv," said Melnyk on Tuesday evening on ProSieben and SAT.1.

The visit should be about how Germany can help Ukraine with heavy weapons in the fight against Russia.

"My President is looking forward to that," said Melnyk.

Melnyk had already criticized at the weekend that Steinmeier's trip to Ukraine was only of a symbolic nature, and demanded: "It would be better for the Federal Chancellor or other members of the Federal Government to come and make concrete decisions about further massive support for Ukraine." Ukraine demands the delivery of heavy weapons.

The debate about such arms deliveries had recently arisen within the German government.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) demanded on Tuesday evening at ProSieben and SAT.1: "It's no use if we say: You'll get something in nine months.

Now that stuff has to go down there.

And that's how we act.

Three leading parliamentarians from the traffic light coalition, who visited Lviv in western Ukraine on Tuesday, spoke out in favor of further arms deliveries, the fastest possible ban on Russian oil imports and clear EU prospects for Ukraine.

“There should be a broad majority for this in the Bundestag.

Germany must take on even more responsibility," says a joint statement by the chairmen of the Bundestag committees for foreign affairs, defense and Europe, Michael Roth (SPD), Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) and Anton Hofreiter (Greens). press agency is available.

However, the members of the Bundestag also criticized Steinmeier's injunction by the government in Kyiv.

This step is incomprehensible.

"Right now it's important to keep in touch." The three politicians held talks with members of the Ukrainian Parliament Rada on Tuesday.

It was the highest-ranking German visit to Ukraine since the war began seven weeks ago.

Former world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko is counting on a later trip by the Federal President to the country after Steinmeier's rejection by Ukraine.

"I hope that the Federal President's visit to Kyiv has only been postponed and can be made up for in the coming weeks," said the brother of Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Tuesday evening of the "Bild" newspaper.

"I think it is urgent that we as Ukraine continue to build bridges to Germany," said Klitschko.

"Germany is the number one partner in providing financial assistance to Ukraine, providing humanitarian assistance, helping refugees massively and sending more and more weapons, even though we need more of them," he added.