Live blog from Sunday ++ G7 want to permanently block gas pipelines from Russia ++

The G7 apparently want to permanently block gas pipelines from Russia. The EU warns of the growing influence of Russian propaganda. All developments in the live blog.

According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Ukraine, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) has carried out the largest logistics operation in its history. “In total, Germany has already carried out 419 aid transports (348 directly for Ukraine, the rest to neighboring countries),” the ministry said.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has asked Germany to support his country in a coalition with other partners by supplying modern fighter jets. During his visit to European capitals, Ukraine is working on “creating a fighter jet coalition,” Zelensky said at a meeting with Chancellor Scholz (SPD) in the Chancellery. He will also turn to the German side with a request to support Ukraine in this coalition. Scholz was reluctant to comment on this. Germany has delivered a lot to Ukraine. Especially as far as air defense is concerned, these are very modern weapons. “That’s what we as Germans are concentrating on now.”

The CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen has criticized the communication of the federal government in connection with the announced further arms deliveries to Ukraine. It must be made clearer that it is also about one’s own security interests, said Röttgen on Twitter.

According to British military experts, the Russian invading forces in Ukraine are in a miserable state and not well prepared for challenges. This emerges from the daily intelligence report on the war in Ukraine by the Ministry of Defense in London.

Accordingly, although the number of soldiers and the organizational structure is similar to that at the beginning of the war of aggression, the composition differs significantly. In February 2022, the Russian troops consisted of professional soldiers, were mostly equipped with reasonably modern vehicles and had regularly trained with the aim of carrying out complex joint operations, the statement said.

“Now the force consists mainly of poorly trained reservists and is increasingly reliant on outdated equipment, with many units severely undermanned,” it said. Only very basic infantry-based sorties would be carried out routinely. Above all, it is unlikely that the Russian armed forces in Ukraine have managed to build a mobile reserve to respond to challenges on a 1,200-kilometer front, the British concluded.

Russia has once again launched drone and missile attacks on Ukraine overnight. Air alert was sounded across the country. The Russian occupiers attacked the country from different directions with drones, missiles from warships from the Black Sea and cruise missiles from airplanes, the air force in Kiev said. 25 drones, most of the Iranian type Shahed-136/131, and three cruise missiles were shot down. This time there was no information on the total number of Russian attacks or hits.

Chancellor Scholz received President Zelenskyj with military honors at the Chancellery in Berlin. After a one-to-one conversation and another discussion in a slightly larger circle, there should also be a press conference.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy thanked Germany for its support in defending against Russia’s war of aggression. “During the most difficult time in Ukraine’s modern history, Germany has proven to be our true friend and reliable ally, standing resolutely on the side of the Ukrainian people in the fight to defend freedom and democratic values,” Zelenskyy wrote at the reception by the Federal President Steinmeier in English in the guest book. He added: “Together we will win and bring peace back to Europe.” Zelenskyj also thanked the German people for their “fantastic solidarity”. In German he added: “Thank you Germany!”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj was received by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday morning. He arrived at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, where, after a conversation with Steinmeier, he also intends to sign the guest book. A meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planned for later. Selenskyj had arrived in Berlin during the night.

According to a report by the Financial Times, the seven leading industrial nations (G7) and the European Union (EU) want to ban gas supplies via important pipelines from Russia to the EU. The measure, which is to be decided next weekend at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, applies to the connections on which Moscow had previously stopped deliveries, for example from Russia to Poland and Germany. These pipelines should no longer be in operation.

EU Vice-President Vera Jourova has warned of the growing influence of Russian propaganda in Europe and German politics. “It is a tried and tested tactic by Russia to rely on domestic puppets,” Jourova told “Bild am Sonntag”. “I’m afraid they have some of these in Germany,” she added. “Left and right-wing politicians are the soldiers of the Russian information war,” she said. Germany is particularly in the focus of the Russians. “You know that if you break Germany, you will weaken the entire EU,” said the EU Justice Commissioner.

In many countries, “the narrative that Russia is not the aggressor but the victim is gaining ground,” explained Jourova. The EU Commissioner cited Slovakia as an example, where “more than 50 percent of the population believe in conspiracy theories, including those relating to the Russian war of aggression”. According to Jourova, Russia “invests billions in its propaganda”. “The EU and member states must invest more in strategic communication and the fight against disinformation,” she said.

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst praised the awarding of the Charlemagne Prize to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj as a “strong signal in times of war”. “With President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, a determined fighter for the values ​​of a free Europe will be honored in Aachen,” said the CDU politician.

The Charlemagne Prize for European Merit, which Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people had already been awarded in December, will be presented in Aachen in the afternoon. In the justification for awarding the prize, Zelenskyy’s role in repelling the Russian attack was highlighted. “With the Charlemagne Prize, democratic Europe is making it clear: We stand by your side!” Wüst emphasized. “The Ukrainian commitment to Europe must be our obligation and our mission – now and in the future.”

The hometown of Ukrainian music duo Tvorchi, who represented their country in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, was hit by Russian attacks on the night of the competition. The western Ukrainian city of Ternopil “was bombed by Russia while we were singing,” Tvorchi told Instagram minutes after her performance in Liverpool. A representative of the city’s military administration carried out the attacks. Accordingly, two people were injured by shrapnel.

Last year, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the ESC with their song “Stefania”. Due to the ongoing Russian war of aggression, last year’s winning country could not host the ESC as usual. So second-placed country Great Britain stepped in and hosted the show in the north-west English port city of Liverpool.

The Ukrainian President landed in Berlin during the night. Selenskyj announced this on Twitter and at the same time praised the newly launched armaments package for his country. The exact program of the President’s visit is not yet known – it is certain that Selenskyj will be awarded the Aachen Charlemagne Prize.

During a visit to the Vatican, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urged Pope Francis to condemn Russian war crimes. Ukraine reports injuries from Russian drone strikes in the west.