On Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a rare visit to Ukraine and announced new military aid, saying it was a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Berlin would support Kyiv for as long as it was needed in the war.

The visit, which is his first to Kyiv since the early months of Russia's 2022 invasion, occurs weeks after Scholz's future as chancellor in Berlin was threatened by the collapse of his ruling coalition and before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

With Russian forces moving even more quickly in the east, Ukraine is becoming increasingly uneasy due to the political unrest in Germany, the largest economy in Europe. If Trump reduces aid from the United States, Ukraine's most powerful friend, it is uncertain how much support Kyiv's European allies can provide. 

According to Scholz's post on X, Kyiv's message to Putin is that they intend to stay in this for the long run. They will continue to support Ukraine. For as long as it takes, they will support the Ukrainian people.

During the visit, Scholz announced that more equipment supplies totaling 650 million euros ($682.37 million) would be arriving this month. According to a defense ministry official, the package consists of armed drones, Leopard 1 tanks, and IRIS-T air defense systems.

In his evening video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that he spent more than two and a half hours in conversation with Scholz.

He said that at their discussion with the chancellor, they decided that Germany will support Ukraine in the future in the precise manner that is appropriate, notwithstanding any shifts in the mood or developments in world affairs.

Scholz and Zelenskiy visited a hospital, talked to injured military members and medical personnel, and saw drones made by German and Ukrainian companies at an unknown location.

Scholz, who has hailed Germany as Ukraine's second-largest arms supplier behind the United States, has consistently declined to deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine out of concern that doing so would push his nation into direct confrontation with Russia.