War in Ukraine: “Berlin will remain Ukraine's main supporter”. Olaf Scholz draws 650 million euros in military aid to boost his popularity rating

Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised on Monday new military aid to Ukraine during his arrival in kyiv for a symbolic visit, in the middle of the electoral campaign for the legislative elections in Germany.

This surprise one-day trip comes at a time when Ukrainian forces are retreating on the front and when the imminent arrival of Donald Trump at the White House is raising fears of a cessation of American aid to kyiv.

It also comes a little more than two weeks after a telephone conversation between Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which earned the German leader a torrent of criticism.

His visit aims to “express” one’s “solidarity with Ukraine”according to the chancellery. Just like that on Sunday of the new head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, who also visited the Ukrainian capital.

Scholz's last visit to the country was June 2022, notably in the company of French President Emmanuel Macrona few months after the Russian invasion began in February 2022.

Olaf Scholz announced on his arrival new German military aid for an amount of 650 million euroswhich will be delivered in December.

Since the Russian invasion, Germany has been the second largest supplier of military aid to kyiv, after the United States.

Et Berlin “will remain Ukraine's main support in Europe”assured the German head of government.

The Russian army accelerates

But despite repeated requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the chancellor tirelessly refused to supply kyiv with long-range Taurus missilesexplaining that he wanted to avoid an escalation with Moscow.

While the Ukrainian president again demanded this weekend an invitation to join NATO “necessary for the survival” of UkraineGermany is one of the country's allies who consider this approach premature.

Volodymyr Zelensky assured Sunday that his country needed more weapons and security guarantees from NATO before possible negotiations with Russia.

Moscow and kyiv have stepped up their drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, with Ukraine recently firing long-range US and British missiles at Russia.

In response, the Kremlin launched an experimental hypersonic missile at a Ukrainian city, also threatening to strike Europe and the United States.

Ukraine has also been targeted in recent weeks by several waves of strikes targeting its energy infrastructure, which caused massive power outages as winter approached.

On the front in the east of the country, the advances of the Russian army accelerated to a level not seen since the very first weeks of the war.

After almost three years of war, calls to start negotiations with Moscow are becoming more pressing.

Internal motivations

A perspective that Olaf Scholz did not initially mention, who was to be received later by Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Ukraine can count on us. We say what we do. And we do what we say,” he said.

Olaf Scholz is a weakened leaderwhose coalition was shattered in early November.

Candidate of the Social Democratic Party for the early legislative elections which will be organized on February 23, he is given the loss by the polls against the conservatives. In his campaign, the center-left leader seeks to profile himself as chancellor of peace and supporter of restraintwhile the conservatives advocate increased aid to Ukraine.

On Saturday, during a campaign speech, Olaf Scholz promised to keep a “cool head” on the subject of the war between Russia and Ukraine, denouncing the hawkish overtones of his conservative opponent Friedrich Merz.

The latter is favorable under certain conditions to a delivery of German Taurus missiles to kyiv, making it possible to strike Russian territory in depth.

A red line for Olaf Scholz, who opposes his American, French and British allies on this point, in a pacifist country crossed by a significant pro-Russian current of opinion.