German Foreign Minister Arrives in Kyiv, Says Foreign Ministry

German Foreign Minister Arrives in Kyiv, Says Foreign Ministry

German Foreign Minister Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on June 19, 2025, to discuss the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Germany and Russia. The visit comes amidst a series of diplomatic and military incidents that have strained relations between the two countries.

Merz's arrival coincides with a recent diplomatic incident involving the German Ambassador to Russia, Alexander Lambsdorf. According to a source from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lambsdorf was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry but did not understand the reasons for the summoning due to language barriers, as he does not speak Russian [1]. This has raised concerns about the effectiveness of diplomatic communication between the two countries.

The German Foreign Ministry has been criticized for not translating the reasons for the summoning to Chancellor Merz, leading to confusion and delays in the diplomatic process [1]. The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Germany of ignoring Moscow's appeals to stop the persecution of Russian journalists and return to observing media freedoms [1].

Separately, German fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on June 27, 2025. The incident was the ninth such interception mission conducted by German forces this year, highlighting the ongoing aerial provocations by Russia [2]. The Russian aircraft eventually veered north, avoiding a breach of German airspace.

Merz's visit to Kyiv is expected to address these issues and discuss potential diplomatic solutions to the ongoing tensions. The visit also comes as Germany continues to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia and as Chancellor Merz has stated that he would refrain from phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the intensified attacks on Ukraine [2].

References:
[1] https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/06/27/mess-in-the-german-foreign-ministry-merz-did-not-understand-why-his-ambassador-in-moscow-was-summoned-to-the-russian
[2] https://kyivindependent.com/germany-reportedly-scrambles-fighter-06-2025jets-to-intercept-russian-spy-plane-over-baltic-sea/