A group of U.S. Democratic lawmakers, including four senators and a member of the House of Representatives, will travel to Poland, India, Germany, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates to garner support for Ukraine.
“This strong congressional delegation will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. military leadership and troops in Poland in order to learn how the U.S. can continue to support Ukraine and our NATO allies against Russia’s unprovoked and unwarranted war,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement, according to The Hill.
“In addition, the delegation will meet with a number of key foreign leaders in Poland, UAE, India, Nepal, and Germany to strengthen ties during this period of heightened global tension,” the congressmen said.
Other senators making the trip with Kelly are Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-MA), along with Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), the lone House member.
GERMANY, INDIA, NEPAL, POLAND, SUPPORT, U.S. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS, UAE, UKRAINE
Federal Minister of Digital Technologies and Transport of Germany Volker Wissing says that the flow of refugees from Ukraine has significantly decreased and stressed that the German state does not intend to impose any restrictions on the admission of Ukrainian refugees.
“The number of refugees traveling to Germany by train has dropped significantly from its peak at the beginning of the war, from around 8,200 to the current around 2,500 people a day. However, we maintain logistical and transport structures because we cannot predict the course of the war at any moment may face an increase in the number of refugees. We must expect further escalation and be prepared. Those in need in Ukraine should be able to find asylum in Germany,” Wissing said in an interview with the German Editorial Network (RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, RND).
When asked if there is an upper limit for accepting refugees from Ukraine, the minister replied: “This question does not arise. Germany cannot and will not reject refugees from Ukraine.”
He also noted that Germany is working on accepting Ukrainian refugees who were previously settled in the EU countries neighboring Ukraine, and is also working to ensure that other EU countries are involved in this, recalling that a number of Polish cities have reached the limit of their capacity to accommodate Ukrainians.
“We quickly became convinced that people traveling from Ukraine could be transported from Poland to Germany. There are distribution centers in Hannover, Cottbus and Berlin…. If there is a threat of congestion in neighboring Ukrainian countries, we must again campaign for their distribution throughout the EU .I am in constant contact with my European colleagues,” Wissing said.
Asked about his attitude to the energy embargo against Russia, the minister noted that Germany “very quickly launched a comprehensive package of sanctions together with its European partner countries and the United States, but the impact on our society must also be taken into account when deciding on sanctions.” “Nothing would be more beneficial to Mr. Putin than if we took action that would lead to a quarrel and ultimately divide our society,” he stressed.
“Germany is very aware of its role and acts responsibly. We avoid acting alone and act in close coordination with our European partners,” Wissing concluded.
Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko says that Germany and the Dortmund club will help restore the football stadium in Chernihiv destroyed by Russian troops.
“Germany and the Dortmund club are ready to help restore the stadium in Chernihiv destroyed by the Russian occupation forces. The club remembers its player and the cool Ukrainian footballer Andriy Yarmolenko. For our part, we join Mayor Vladislav Atroshenko in the dialogue and hope that this wonderful news will be able to support Chernihiv residents,” Tkachenko wrote in the telegram channel following negotiations with Claudia Roth, Minister of State for Culture and Media of the Federal Chancellor’s Office.
According to the minister, Germany stressed its unchanging position on the importance of rescheduling the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee from Russian Kazan.
In addition, the parties discussed the initiative to include the historical area of Odessa in UNESCO.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Germany’s position has recently been changing in favor of Ukraine.
“I spoke today with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. About how to bring to justice all those responsible for war crimes. How to strengthen sanctions against Russia and how to force Russia to seek peace. I am glad to note that recently the German position has been changing in favor of Ukraine,” he said in a video message on Sunday evening.
“I consider this absolutely logical. Since this is the course supported by the majority of the German people,” the president said, noting that he expects “everything agreed upon will be implemented.”
Germany has already sent large volumes of weapons to Ukraine and is working to increase such supplies, the German Embassy reports, citing the German Defense Minister.
“Large volumes of weapons have already arrived in Ukraine from Germany. And we work hard every day to give her even more. Therefore, we are constantly in touch with the government of Ukraine […] But we do not talk about the details, for which there is a reason: Ukraine has clearly asked us about this, ”the embassy quotes the speech of German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht in the Bundestag.
According to Spiegel, the German Foreign Ministry declared 40 employees of the Russian embassy persona non grata, the head of the ministry, Annalena Burbock, confirmed the decision to expel, but did not name the exact number of employees.
“The federal government today decided to declare undesirable a significant number of employees of the Russian embassy who here in Germany worked daily against our freedom and the unity of our society. Their work is a threat to those who seek our protection. We will not tolerate this” , Burbock said, quoted by the press service of the ministry.
Burbock said the Russian ambassador was informed of the decision on Monday.
