German President cancels visit to Kiev for security reasons
(Baonghean.vn) - According to the German newspaper, this move has met with dissatisfaction and even anger from the Kiev government.
 |
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Photo: Anews |
On October 20, Russia's TASS news agency reported that German newspaper Bild said that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had canceled his trip to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, which was originally scheduled for October 20 for security reasons.
According to the source, the visit had been prepared for the past few weeks, but the German President's office had to cancel it amid "many security concerns".
The German newspaper said the move had met with dissatisfaction and even anger from the authorities in Kiev.
“While the German federal president is canceling his visit, many diplomats and foreign guests want to be in the Ukrainian capital at this very moment,” a spokesman for the Kiev government told Bild.
According to the newspaper, the Greek foreign minister visited Kiev on October 19, and “a state visit” is scheduled for October 20.
Bild also reported that the German Federal Foreign Office, the Interior Ministry and the country's security agencies had advised Mr Steinmeier to avoid visiting Kiev. The decision to cancel the visit was made on October 18.
In mid-April, Bild reported that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky refused to receive Mr. Steinmeier, who wanted to visit Kiev at the time. The Kiev government said that at that time, the German President was “too soft” on Russia. The decision was criticized by many political forces in Germany./.