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For two years now, Russia 
has been waging war on Ukraine.

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And for two years, the Ukrainian 
people have been bravely

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defending their home against 
this brutal war of aggression.

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The invading Russian 
army is causing endless

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human suffering 
every day.

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Many thousands of civilians 
have been killed or wounded,

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and countless have had 
to leave their country.

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And many of them have found 
refuge here in Germany.

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Since 24 February 2022, 
Germany has provided 

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Ukraine with around 
28 billion euro of support.

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In my conversations with
members of the public,

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I am frequently asked: 
Is it right

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for us to be helping Ukraine 
on such a massive scale?

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I say to you, 
quite clearly, yes!

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Even if we do of course 
feel the financial effects.

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Because what 
would happen

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if Putin were to succeed 
in his campaign?

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If borders in Europe 
could be changed

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just like that, through 
the use of violence?

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The consequences for us 
would be much more costly – 

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in every respect – than our 
support for Ukraine in its

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battle to 
defend itself.

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Putin wants to 
subdue Ukraine.

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If he manages to do so, that will 
not by any means be a return to peace,

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it will set in motion 
the next aggression!

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Putin himself has 
repeatedly declared

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that his goals 
go much further.

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And so our 
support for Ukraine

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is not just about 
Ukraine itself.

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It is about the peaceful 
European order as a whole –

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and about protecting 
our own freedom.

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It was therefore a 
great pleasure for me

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to welcome Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky to Berlin.

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And I am therefore delighted 
that we were both able

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to put our signatures to a 
very important joint agreement.

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With this agreement, Germany 
makes a firm commitment: 

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We will continue to support 
Ukraine in the long term.

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Germany will help 
Ukraine in the future, too,

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to protect and defend itself 
against Russian attacks.

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We are providing 
military support,

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for example by supplying weapons 
and training Ukrainian soldiers.

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And also by helping the Ukrainian 
defence industry to modernise

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so that it can protect 
its country better still.

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At the same time, it remains 
very clear that this war

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will not see any German 
soldiers in Ukraine.

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The agreement 
does not mean, 

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that Germany is becoming 
a party to the war.

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We are of course also 
looking to the future –

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after the 
war ends,

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we will continue to 
liaise closely with Ukraine

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so that any new Russian attacks 
can be swiftly countered.

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And the agreement goes 
beyond the purely military.

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It also sets out the 
terms of our civilian support,

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for example for 
the reconstruction

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of Ukraine’s 
energy infrastructure.

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In return, Ukraine 
commits to resolutely

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continue down 
the path of reform.

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Its reforms concern 
strong democratic institutions

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and the fight 
against corruption.

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The Ukrainian 
people can depend

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on our support 
in this area, too.

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It is good to see 
that many other partners 

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are set to conclude similar 
agreements shortly or already have.

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By doing so, 
two years on

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from the beginning 
of this terrible war,

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we are sending a crystal-clear 
message to Ukraine –

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and at the same time a 
crystal-clear message

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to the 
Russian President:

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We will 
not let up

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in our support 
for Ukraine.

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We will continue to 
stand shoulder to shoulder

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with the 
Ukrainian people.