Top lawmakers from Germany’s ruling coalition made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday in a show of cross-party solidarity for Kiev – and of domestic unity in Berlin.
But the visit also represented an effort by the squabbling coalition allies to move past a rocky start since the government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, took office in May.
In Kiev, the duo inspected the aftermath of last week’s large-scale Russian airstrikes involving drones and missiles last week.
Spahn and Miersch also visited the Kiev suburb of Bucha, which was the site of a massacre when it was occupied by Russian forces in the early weeks of the war. Moscow denies that a massacre took place.
The pair paid tribute to the dead and met the local mayor.
Speaking to reporters on the train from Poland, Spahn said the trip underlined that the German parliament, as well as the government, stands firmly with Ukraine.
“It is therefore a good sign for Ukraine, but also a good sign of the coalition’s determination,” he argued, adding that “it is [Russian President Vladimir] Putin who wants war, who does not want peace.”
Miersch called the trip a “clear signal of support” and stressed the importance of making it a joint message.
Use of frozen Russian assets under discussion
He also said that “all options are on the table” regarding the use of frozen Russian assets in the European Union to support Ukraine.
Miersch hinted that the issue could be up for discussion in ongoing EU negotiations on a fresh package of sanctions on Russia.
Around €210 billion ($246 billion) in assets from the Russian central bank are frozen in the EU, with the majority being held in custody by the Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear.
Since last year, the EU has been using interest income from the funds to finance the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
However, many in the bloc are sceptical about expropriating the assets directly, due to legal concerns and the likelihood of retaliatory measures.
The German pair also refused to be drawn on the question of German support for peacekeeping efforts after a potential ceasefire, with Spahn calling any speculation “premature.”
The best security guarantee for Ukraine is a strong Ukrainian military, he said, arguing that “no other army can achieve what the Ukrainian army can.” Miersch added, “We are not ruling anything out.”
Like other foreign visitors, the delegation travelled by rail due to Ukraine’s restricted airspace.
En route, they stopped in the Polish city of Rzeszow to meet German soldiers operating two Patriot air defence systems that protect the local airport, a key hub for Western arms deliveries to Ukraine.
The visit comes as Merz’s coalition – made up of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) and the SPDÂ – seeks to display unity as lawmakers return to Berlin following the German summer recess.
Last week, representatives from the three parties held a joint retreat, at the end of which Miersch said that something “has grown” between him and Spahn, allowing them to make real progress together.
Spahn, who served as Germany’s health minister during the coronavirus crisis, is the parliamentary leader for the CDU/CSUÂ bloc, with Miersch fulfilling the role for the SPD.
By Andreas Stein, dpa
