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Baerbock becomes first German minister to visit eastern Ukraine during Russian operation

She was accompanied by her Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba and Ukrainian Ambassador in Berlin Alexey Makeyev

BERLIN, January 10. /TASS/. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday has become the first German minister to visit eastern Ukraine after the start of the Russian special military operation in the country, the N-TV television channel said.

The visit has been kept in secret until the last moment due to security reasons.

"Accepting the invitation of my Ukrainian counterpart and friend Dmitry Kuleba, I intend here in Kharkov today to get an idea of the situation and first of all to listen to the residents," Baerbock is quoted as saying by the German Foreign Ministry.

"Across all parts of Ukraine, from Kharkov, Kherson to Kiev people know they can rely on our solidarity and support. That concerns wintertime aid that we have provided - generators and transformers, fuel and blankets are now saving lives on the ground. It’s also about new weapons supplies, which Ukraine needs," the minister said.

She was accompanied by Kuleba and Ukrainian Ambassador in Berlin Alexey Makeyev.

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