By Christopher Buhl
The failed visit to Kyiv by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (66, SPD) – apparently there were even more serious upsets behind the scenes than was previously known.
As the “Spiegel” reports, Steinmeier ironed out the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj (44) in the first phone call after his discharge. The magazine writes that he had confronted Selenskyj abruptly with the subject and repeatedly asked for clarification of the background.
In the conversation on May 5, Steinmeier attacked the Ukrainians harshly: The invitation was a historic affront, unprecedented to an ally’s head of state.
Such a breach of diplomatic usage is unacceptable, Steinmeier is said to have raged – he would like an explanation for it. The “Spiegel” relied on information from insiders.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Photo: XBP pat
When Selenskyj protested in the conversation that he had known nothing about the process, Steinmeier is said to have gotten angry, it is said.
“Please spare yourself and me from having to read it all out now”
The Federal President apparently said that he had all the correspondence in front of him, referring to a diplomatic note from the Ukrainian government on April 12, the day the trip was canceled. He pamped Selenskyj: “Please spare yourself and me from reading all this now.”
After further appeasement from Selenskyj, Steinmeier even asked a third time, reports the “Spiegel”. The Federal President then received an evasive reaction from the Ukrainian, but for him it was probably a duly crushed one. Only then did Steinmeier give in.
Germany
The Office of the Federal President informed the magazine on request that it did not report on confidential discussions. Since then, another phone call between Steinmeier and Selenskyj has taken place on June 30, in which the Federal President’s travel plans to Kyiv are said to have been discussed.
Steinmeier originally wanted to travel to Kyiv with his colleagues from Poland and the three Baltic states in mid-April – a plan that was rejected in Ukraine. Reason: Steinmeier’s close ties to Russia in recent years.
As Foreign Minister, Steinmeier had maintained close contact with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (72), among other things. He was also a big supporter of the controversial and now canceled Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and is considered the architect of the Russia-friendly policy of the former federal government under ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel (67, CDU).
After being discharged, Steinmeier declared that he wanted to travel to Kyiv “to send a strong signal of European solidarity with Ukraine. I was ready. But obviously, I have to admit, that was not wanted in Kyiv.”