Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba discussed with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock the issues of toughening sanctions against the Russian Federation and strengthening the defense capability of Ukraine, and also thanked the German side for refusing to a demand of the Russian Federation to pay for energy in Russian currency.
“I spoke with Annalena Baerbock and thanked Germany for refusing to pay for Russian natural gas exports in rubles. Emphasized the need to impose new stiff sanctions on Russia. Informed on the frontline developments. The need to further strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities is urgent,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denied rumors that Germany and France are putting pressure on Ukraine to make concessions in negotiations with the Russian Federation.
“Those countries that you mentioned are our partners, they help us a lot, especially the UK, and we don’t feel any pressure in the negotiation process from their side, we feel support and we have very close interaction with these governments,” Kuleba said at the briefing in Warsaw on Friday.
So Kuleba responded to a journalist’s request to comment on media reports that France and Germany are putting pressure on Ukraine to make concessions to the Russian Federation in the negotiations.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that even before the start of the war, it was inappropriate to say that Ukraine could be put under pressure.
“We have shown in a number of situations that Ukraine does not succumb to any pressure, you can only speak with us on an equal footing and you can never speak down. And after 36 days of war, I assure you that no one in Europe or overseas will even dare to attack President Zelensky or to Ukraine for any reason,” Kuleba said.
Volodymyr Klitschko, as part of the Ukrainian delegation, left for Germany, where negotiations are planned on political and economic support for Ukraine, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.
“Vladimir went with a delegation from Ukraine to meetings in Germany. Meetings are planned with German politicians and officials for political support of Ukraine – economic, humanitarian and military assistance to our state,” Vitali Klitschko wrote on his Facebook page
The mayor of Kyiv stressed the importance of consolidating all efforts to support the country.
“Today it is very important to unite all forces – both in Ukraine and to consolidate the positions and actions of the partner countries of our state,” he said.
Humanitarian medical aid has arrived for health care institutions of Lviv region from Germany, some of the medicines are provided for the needs of other regions of Ukraine, said head of the Lviv Regional Administration Maksym Kozytsky.
“About six tonnes of medical humanitarian aid from Germany were received in Lviv region. These are insulins of different types and hemostatic. For distribution, the cargo was sent to one of the pharmacy warehouses of the region,” he wrote on the Telegram channel on Wednesday morning.
According to Kozytsky, four health care institutions of Lviv region, two of which are children’s, will receive part of the medicines. The other part will be stored in a warehouse for further needs of both Lviv region and other regions of Ukraine.
He also added that the medicines were collected in different cities of Germany and sent from the hospital of the German city of Regensburg called Merciful Brothers on a centralized basis. They organized a fundraiser for the purchase of medical rubber aid by Dr. Hubertus von Voss and Michelle Merter.
Kozytsky also said that charity concerts are being held throughout Germany, and for the proceeds from them they plan to buy another batch of medicine.
“The flow of aid to Lviv region was facilitated by the NGO Let’s Protect Ukraine Together,” said the head of the Regional Administration.
From the second half of 2022, Germany is facing a shortage of mustard due to a lack of mustard seeds for its production, the shortage is caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine, since these two countries provide a total of 80% of German imports of this agricultural raw material.
This opinion was expressed by Markus Weck, CEO of the German food industry association Kulinaria Germany, for the German edition Die Welt.
“There is already a shortage of raw materials for mustard. And in the coming weeks and months, the shortage will increase – up to complete supply disruptions. The shocks caused by the coronavirus pandemic are practically nothing compared to what is happening in the markets right now,” the publication quotes the Kulinaria CEO.
According to him, 80% of mustard seeds come to Germany from Ukraine and Russia, and its shortage is already forcing German mustard producers to reduce its production and raise prices for their products. Weck clarified that the prospects for the German mustard market remain uncertain until the end of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Sowing should take place in the next two weeks. However, this is unlikely in Ukraine, given the current situation. But this means that an important supplier of raw materials for mustard producers is lost in the summer. And whether Russia will then export goods is also unknown,” the expert explained.
The Kulinaria CEO stressed that German mustard producers will have enough stocks of raw materials for a period of several weeks to several months.
Mustard consumption in Germany is one of the highest in the world and is used to prepare a large number of German traditional dishes.
All federal states of Germany will provide quick assistance to Ukrainians who are fleeing the war, and its procedure will be simple, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
“Overcoming this challenge is the common task of our entire state,” he tweeted on Wednesday evening.
Scholz thanked the many volunteers whose “tireless efforts allow us to help people fleeing the terrible war in Ukraine.”
The German chancellor also said that it is completely unacceptable when immigrants from Russia are insulted or even subjected to physical attack.
“Because this is Putin’s war. He, and only he, is responsible for this,” Scholz stressed.
