Leaders of German Social Democratic Party, who support diplomacy with Russia, visit Kyiv

Lars Klingbeil, leader of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Rolf Mützenich, chairman of the SPD, have arrived in Kyiv for their first visit one year later after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda; Tagesschau

They arrived in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early in the morning on a special train to hold talks with representatives of the Ukrainian government and parliament later in the day.

For security reasons, the exact program of the visit was not published.

Several senior SPD politicians have visited Ukraine since the invasion, most notably Chancellor Olaf Scholz in June 2022. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visited Ukraine just days after taking office.

The SPD is in a difficult position in Ukraine because of its policy toward Russia before the invasion. It has been accused of underestimating Russian President Vladimir Putin for decades and relying too much on cooperation with Russia.

However, both Klingbeil and Mützenich have openly admitted their mistakes. In December, the SPD wants to revise its foreign policy, and thus its attitude toward Russia, at the party conference.

At the same time, both Klingbeil and Mützenich insist on a greater role for diplomacy in trying to end the war.

"We have to try hard to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through diplomacy," Mützenich said in late January.

"Sometimes I get dizzy when I see that the discussions are only about weapons. I am shocked when I see how the concept of diplomacy is almost despised today," Klingbeil said in mid-January.

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