Steinmeier shares impressions of Ukraine visit

Federal President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during his visit to Ukraine, was shocked by the destruction brought by the war and the stories shared by civilians.

Steinmeier said this in an interview with Tagesschau, Ukrinform reports.

"Everything is much more terrible than we imagine here in Germany," the German president said.

As reported earlier, during Steinmeier’s visit to Ukraine, he was forced to spend some time in a bomb shelter amid an air raid alert, along with Ukrainians.

Steinmeier said that, "of course, everyone who is able to think and care wants the hostilities to stop." However, as the president of Germany emphasized, a just peace "can’t mean that the capture of land will ultimately be sealed by the will of an armistice."

"This means that the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be preserved. We are not at that point yet," he said.

According to Steinmeier, there are currently no signs of possible peace talks. He also expressed doubt that Moscow would be able to negotiate peace with Ukraine and the West, given Moscow's decision to invade a neighboring country, complete disregard for the will of the "brotherly people," and violation of international law.

As reported, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Ukraine on October 25 for the first time since the full-scale Russian invasion.

During the visit, he visited Chernihiv region and gave the head of the Koryukivka community the contacts of a city that can become its partner. During his visit to the district center, an air raid alert was announced, and on the recommendation of his security team, the federal president came down to a bomb shelter, where he spent more than an hour with the locals.

Photo: dpa