The German Deputy Chancellor and Minister of Finance, Lars Klingbeil, made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday.

This was reported by the Reuters agency.

Upon arrival, he stated that Vladimir Putin must understand that Germany's support for Ukraine will not wane.

"Putin should not harbor any illusions that Germany's support for Ukraine might diminish," said Klingbeil, leader of the Social Democratic Party, which is a junior partner in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition government.

"On the contrary: we continue to be the second-largest partner for Ukraine globally and the largest in Europe. Ukraine can continue to rely on Germany," Klingbeil added.

He asserted that Ukraine must be included in peace negotiations and that a ceasefire and reliable security guarantees are essential for lasting peace.

"To this end, we are closely coordinating our actions at the international level," he said.

It is worth noting that Klingbeil previously did not support Bavarian Premier Markus Söder's call from the CSU to cut social benefits for all Ukrainian refugees.

Additionally, Klingbeil justified the significant increase in Germany's military spending, stating that it is necessary to counter the threat from the Russian regime.