The head of the German parliament, Barbel Bass, arrived in Kyiv on May 8. She will take part in commemorative ceremonies for the victims of World War II and Nazism, as well as hold talks with the political leadership.

Bas became the first senior German official to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky has refused to meet with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier because of his pro-Russian stance in the past.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined Zelensky’s invitation to visit Kyiv out of solidarity with Steinmeier. Repeating the invitation, the Ukrainian president called May 9th the best date for the visit.