On May 14, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, for talks at Bellevue Palace. During the Ukrainian President's first visit to Berlin since the beginning of the Russian attack against his country, the current situation in Ukraine was the focus of the exchange. You can be very proud of yourself and your politics, your country and the people who stood up against the Russian aggressor, the Federal President said.

Germany is one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters in the face of Russia’s war of aggression, providing military, economic and financial assistance. Germany is also doing a huge amount to help refugees and to foster reconstruction. The town-twinning network that the two Presidents became patrons of last year in Kyiv also contributes to this endeavour.

In the afternoon, President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine were awarded the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen 2023.