'We remain at your side,' Bundestag president tells Ukrainian MPs

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner on Wednesday assured Ukrainians of Germany's continued solidarity amid Russia's ongoing invasion during what was her first visit to the war-torn country.

"We will remain at your side," Klöckner, the first German representative to address the Ukrainian parliament, told lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada in Kiev. They rose to their feet and showered her with applause.

Klöckner, who presides over Germany's lower house, arrived in Kiev by train on Wednesday morning on a visit that had been kept under wraps due to security reasons.

She was welcomed at the platform in the Ukrainian capital by her counterpart, Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of Ukraine's parliament, and is scheduled to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Wednesday.

Klöckner also visited a combined heating and power plant in Kiev to gain an impression of the damage caused by Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure, which have crippled supplies for Ukrainians during a particularly harsh winter.

The facility was struck last weekend, destroying large parts of the roof and reducing operations to a minimum.

"Especially now, when so much attention is focused on the situation in the Middle East, we must not lose sight of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Klöckner said.

"Germany and Ukraine are moving closer together in solidarity in these difficult times," Klöckner wrote in the parliament's guest book.

The Bundestag has no closer relationship with any parliament outside the EU than it does with the parliament in Kiev, Klöckner later said.

Ukraine's Stefanchuk awarded Klöckner the first-class Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise during the parliamentary conference of the Crimea Platform in Stockholm in November.

The honour was also presented to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.

Donning the order in Kiev, Klöckner told parliament that Europe was learning from Ukraine - from its technological and organizational capabilities to its abilities build while under attack.

"You are so brave," she said.

In December, Berlin hosted talks between a US delegation and Zelensky. Peace negotiations between Moscow and Kiev mediated by the United States were suspended as Washington focused on the war involving Iran. The talks could resume in Turkey next week.

The Iran war is being fought with new tactics and new equipment, Stefanchuk said during a joint press conference with Klöckner.

Ukraine could contribute expertise, for example in drone defence, he said amid concern in Kiev that Ukraine might be overshadowed by the Iran war.

Last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed that Ukraine must be able to "safeguard its territory and security interests," while Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced further financial aid to protect the country's energy grid earlier this week.

Germany has become Ukraine's biggest military backer, overtaking the US after President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year.