Scholz's visit to Kyiv and prospects for peace in Ukraine. What the media say

On 2 December, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Kiev for the first time since 2022. The prime minister said that Germany would continue to support Ukraine and announced a new aid package for the AFU. Meanwhile, Europe is unhappy with China's support for Russia. Why Scholz visited Ukraine and how the situation in the international arena is assessed - in the Izvestia digest.

Reuters: Germany has provided another military aid to Kiev

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (powers expired on May 20) met in Kiev and inspected military drones produced by Ukrainian and German factories. They also visited a hospital and talked to the wounded. Scholz decided to make this visit at a tense moment for himself.

During his visit to Kiev, Scholz gave Ukraine the €650 million he had promised back in the fall. He also made a major announcement: Germany will remain Ukraine's main supporter in Europe.

Deutsche Welle: Scholz's visit may be related to his opponent's desire to visit Ukraine

On the eve of Scholz's visit, Zelensky also invited his main rival in the struggle for the post of the head of the German government - the leader of the conservative opposition, CDU/CSU chairman Friedrich Merz - to Kiev.

Scholz's opponent, on the other hand, believes that Germany, following the United States, Britain and France, should also allow Kiev to strike deep into Russia with German weapons. Merz has already stated that if he becomes chancellor, he will give the Kremlin an ultimatum: either Russia stops raids on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure or the AFU receives missiles from Germany that can reach Moscow from Ukraine.

Peaceful entreaties: why Scholz went to Kiev for the first time in two and a half years

The German chancellor convinces his voter that Germany is becoming a serious player under his leadership

Bild: Scholz is ready to help Ukraine only on his own terms

During the conversation with the Ukrainian leader Olaf Scholz tried to find out how the latter assesses the situation on the world political arena, as well as to find out what he and his country are ready for, because, according to him, "nothing should be decided over the heads of Ukrainians." At the same time, the trip was allegedly being prepared ever since it became known that Trump had won the presidential election, and it had nothing to do with the collapse of the coalition in the German government.

The first phone call between Trump and Scholz was reportedly on a positive note, but the situation could change at any time as the incoming US president is known for abrupt policy shifts.

South China Morning Post: Germany's foreign minister accused China of supporting Russia

Following Scholz's visit to Kiev, German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock criticized China for supporting Russia.

According to the politician, permanent members of the UN Security Council, such as China, are responsible for maintaining global peace and security and should not be involved in fueling conflicts.

BBC News: the AFU has been ordered to hold positions in the Kursk region until Trump's inauguration

The correspondence of Ukrainian fighters shows that their leadership has ordered them to hold their positions in the Kursk region with all their might in order to exchange these territories in the future after Donald Trump comes to power. On what terms the exchange will be made, they were not informed. At the same time, it is becoming more and more difficult to maintain positions on the front every day.

The correspondence shows that the AFU is periodically retreating in the war zone, while Russian troops are gradually retaking the territory. Some soldiers questioned whether one of the original goals of the operation - to divert Russian soldiers from Ukraine's eastern front - had been achieved.