Arriving in the evening at Kyiv’s Maidan Square, which is known to be the site of the pro-European protests, Prime Minister Luc Frieden was reminded of an earlier visit in 2005 during the Orange Revolution.
In conversation with RTL journalist Jeannot Ries, who joined the Luxembourg delegation in Kyiv, Frieden recalled that time. Explaining that Luxembourg and its partners recognised the need for a "stable, westward-looking Ukraine", while being aware of the dangers posed by instability in the region.
But what they didn't anticipate, he said, were Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, and its subsequent full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, "that is, of course, an enormous challenge for us today", he noted.
Maidan Square is now one of many places across Ukraine where families remember the soldiers who have died in the war against Russia.
In recent weeks, Kyiv’s civilian population has borne a heavy toll as the war continues. Since the beginning of August, there have been massive Russian attacks almost on a daily basis.
Frieden emphasised the importance of seeing "that war is not something abstract", above all.
He further noted the tragic reality Ukrainians face: "This morning, I saw it at the cemetery with photos of young people who died in the war at 25, 30 years old. And here we are at a site where, in the marketplace, a missile struck a supermarket just months ago. People died here, and many were injured. This is about human lives".
Ukraine declared its independence on 24 August 1991, as the Soviet Union collapsed, which is thirty-five years ago this week. On Monday, that historic moment was commemorated with a ceremony that quickly turned to the sacrifices made to defend that independence, attended by ten heads of government, including Luxembourg’s Prime Minister.
They represented the "coalition of the willing", countries standing with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
Frieden noted that a "small country like Luxembourg understands how important it is to have friends who support you". In the Grand Duchy's case, it was the Americans during the Second World War. "We know how vital international law is. This was the main concern of President Zelensky", he resumed.
Frieden travelled to Kyiv at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Monday, he held a private meeting with Zelensky to discuss the current situation and how even a small country like Luxembourg can continue to support Ukraine.
According to him, Luxembourg has already given Ukraine a great deal of support, especially on a per capita basis. They discussed how Luxembourg can extend its contribution, particularly regarding the energy fund, as winter is coming and the cold in Ukraine can be severe.
Another area of support is making satellite capacity available, and help the Ukrainian army training once peace returns. "In various coalitions, whether in IT, air support, satellites, or aircraft, we are seeking ways to support the Ukrainians", he summarised.
Shortly before Frieden’s meeting with Zelensky, the coalition of supporting nations convened once more, with some leaders joining by videolink, to pledge further financial and technical aid to Ukraine. For President Zelensky, there is a clear priority.
"We must ensure that air defence systems are in Ukraine before winter and that we have Patriot missiles for the cold months", the Ukrainian president appealed.
The crucial importance of air defence was demonstrated to several visiting heads of state and government on Monday evening, when air raid sirens once again sounded in Kyiv following the launch of two Russian ballistic missiles.
