On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Ukrainian independence, it is important to me personally to see for myself the situation on the ground and to talk to as many different people as possible about how Germany, as Ukraine’s most important partner in Europe, can provide targeted support, both in the day‑to‑day struggle for peace and in terms of preparing for the upcoming winter. Because, as well as indiscriminately murdering civilians, Russia is deliberately attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in order to destroy vital resources and thus break the Ukrainian people’s endurance.

The holiday weeks in July and August, for people across Europe the best time of the year, were the deadliest in over four years for the civilian population in Ukraine. Never before has Russia fired more missiles at its neighbour. Every day, Russia is robbing women, men and children in Ukraine of the future for which the entire country is hoping, for which the entire country is striving – a future in peace, a future in which there is at last no need to fear for friends and family, no need to fear what the next night will bring.

We must not remain indifferent to the images of destruction we see every day. At the same time, however, these images do not tell the whole story of the people in Ukraine. For, despite the terrible circumstances, the Ukrainians never lose sight of the goal, of the time after the war; they carry on in an impressive way, fighting for security and freedom – in and indeed for Europe. Young people are going to university, literally learning underground. Aid workers keep going with reconstruction, in the midst of the destruction, in the midst of war.

More and more people in Russia are realising that Ukraine, with the support it is getting from the international community, has the greater staying power and that continuing the war will only drive Russia further into economic ruin. The increasingly confused propaganda and the increasingly totalitarian repression at home are also signs of the regime’s weakness. The only solution is peace. All our measures aim to make Putin accept this at long last and stop sending thousands of his own young countrymen to their deaths.

At the same time, we are learning from Ukraine. There is scarcely another country that shows so much initiative and innovation day in, day out. That’s why my visit will also look at technical and economic cooperation, for instance the joint development of drone systems, and at how we can further intensify our new strategic partnership at all levels.