By KYIV. Nov 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Relations between Ukraine and Germany can become one of the most reliable pillars for the whole of Europe, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said and called on the mayors of Ukrainian cities and communities to cooperate more closely with their German counterparts, in particular, in the field of creating new enterprises.
Speaking via video link at the German-Ukrainian conference of municipal partnerships, the President of Ukraine thanked Germany for its support and added that currently the two states have achieved the best relations for the entire time of relations.
“And we appreciate that our relations yield real results in protecting human lives and our European way of life. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Federal Chancellor Scholz and the entire German government team. Our agreements with the Chancellor are being implemented clearly and on time. Thank you for that!” Zelenskyy stated.
He also recalled how President Steinmeier in the fall of 2022 visited the affected by the Russian occupiers the village of Yahidne in Chernihiv region.
“For almost a month, while the village was occupied by the Russian invaders, they kept 350 villagers – in fact, all the villagers! – in a small basement of the village school. Both babies and the elderly, women and men. Ten people died during that time right in that basement. Mr. President Steinmeier saw the conditions and the contempt the Russians had for people in general that led to the creation of such a concentration camp in Yahidne … What happened in Yahidne characterizes the very essence of this war – the threat that the current Russian regime poses to many ordinary European towns and villages. Not only in Ukraine,” he said.
“In our cities and communities, there should be no place for the opposite attitude to people and life – anti-European attitude – that Russia demonstrates in the occupied territory of Ukraine,” the president added.
In particular, he stressed that cooperation between Ukrainian and European communities can provide significant protection.
“Since President Steinmeier’s visit to Ukraine last year, we have managed to almost double the number of intercity partnerships. Today we have 190 such partnerships. There are already six interregional partnerships. There is also German patronage over the restoration of Chernihiv region of Ukraine, the very region where the village of Yahidne, which I mentioned, is located,” the head of state said, thanking many German cities and communities for the assistance provided to Ukraine, including generators, fire trucks and other equipment.
Zelenskyy also noted that currently there is a developed joint work with German companies and funds to modernize energy opportunities in the regions of Ukraine. In addition, according to him, Germany also helps a lot with air defense systems and other means of physical defense.
“I am sure that representatives of Ukrainian cities can also point to opportunities for joint economic cooperation existing in Ukraine today. Not only in rebuilding what has been destroyed by Russia’s aggression, but also in launching new businesses and creating new productive stories,” Zelenskyy noted.
In particular, according to him, Ukraine now, despite the war, provides economic growth of almost 5% of GDP in annual terms.
“This is a testament to how strong our way of life is and how much our people are capable of doing. I believe that relations between Ukraine and Germany will become one of the most reliable pillars of the entire Europe. A security, economic, and social pillar. And especially when Ukraine becomes a full-fledged part of the European Union. And I am proud of all the examples of our cooperation and sincerely wish success to all of you in developing relations between cities, between regions, between the self-government of our countries,” the President said.
