German generals visited Kyiv at former Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi's invitation as he was still in office - Bild

German Major General Christian Freuding and Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer visited Kyiv on Thursday, 8 February, at the invitation of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the recently dismissed Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as he was still in office.

European Pravda reports, citing German tabloid newspaper Bild. The tabloid noted that the German officers had arrived in Ukraine to exchange ideas with their counterparts.

The German Defence Ministry also confirmed the visit: "The Bundeswehr Inspector General, General Breuer, is currently in Ukraine, accompanied by Major General Freuding and others."

A defence ministry official said the German officers had arrived in Kyiv at Zaluzhnyi's invitation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Zaluzhnyi from his post as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces on Thursday, 8 February.

The talks involving Bundeswehr representatives in Kyiv sought to "further exchange views on current defence needs and future military challenges," the German defence ministry added.

Background:

• On 9 February, it was reported that Rustem Umierov, Ukraine's Defence Minister, introduced Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the new Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, to partners in Germany and France.
• The Pentagon, commenting on the changes in Ukraine's military leadership, reiterated the United States' readiness to cooperate with the new Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
• The European Commission has stated that the European Union's support for Ukraine will remain unchanged after the resignation of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.