As part of a working trip to the Chernihiv region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Vice Chancellor, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of the Federal Republic of Germany Robert Habeck, who is on a visit to Ukraine.
The Head of State expressed gratitude for the effective support and solidarity with Ukraine on the part of the government of Germany and Robert Habeck personally since the first days of full-scale Russian aggression.
"Your visit is a powerful signal for our citizens, our military, all of us," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He emphasized that the visit of the German Vice-Chancellor to the Chernihiv region is important in the context of the commencement of the program of patronage over the municipal partnership of Ukraine and Germany by the presidents of the two states last year.
The Ukrainian President separately thanked Germany for its leadership in providing Ukraine with the necessary defense weapons, in particular through the provision of German Leopard tanks and Marder IFVs, as well as for its contribution to the protection of the Ukrainian sky, and noted the importance of continuing this assistance.
"Today we are highly motivated to de-occupy our country," stressed Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The President of Ukraine welcomed the willingness of German business representatives to join the reconstruction of our country. The parties emphasized the importance of confirmation by the German side of risk insurance for businesses that are willing to invest in Ukraine now.
In particular, during the trip to the Chernihiv region, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with the Vice Chancellor of Germany, observed the course of restoration work on the bridge crossing over the Desna River (Kyiv Bridge) and the presentation of the project for the reconstruction of other bridge crossings in the Chernihiv region.
The bridge was destroyed on March 23, 2022 as a result of a Russian airstrike, and the entrance to Chernihiv is currently carried out by a temporary pontoon crossing.
The President and the Vice Chancellor of Germany were told about the plans for the organization of a temporary passage on the existing bridge and the construction of a new two-lane bridge next to it. In the future, it is planned to dismantle the existing bridge and build a new one next to it.
The German side was offered to consider the possibility of financial support for the restoration of the region's bridge infrastructure.
In total, as a result of the full-scale Russian invasion, 35 artificial structures and bridges were destroyed or damaged in the Chernihiv region.
