Once accused of reticence in supplying military gear to Ukraine, Germany has since become a major contributor in tanks, rockets and anti-missile systems. Aachen city authorities said it remained unclear if Mr. Zelenskyy would receive the award in person or join the ceremony via video-link. Early on in the conflict, Kyiv had accused Germany of being too accommodating to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Berlin’s reliance on Russian energy had proved tricky. The medium-range Iris-T missile defence system from Germany is also helping to bolster Ukraine’s protection against Russian strikes, Kyiv has said. Mr. Zelenskyy also thanked Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni “for helping to save lives”.

Source: The Hindu May 14, 2023 22:41 UTC