German development minister lends aid to Ukrainians amid hard winter

German Development Minister Svenja Schulze was in Ukraine on Thursday to tout Berlin's efforts to help civilians in the freezing months ahead.

"I have travelled to Ukraine to hand over our winter package," the minister said upon her arrival in the capital Kiev.

She said that in the more than 1,000 days of war, Russia's goal has been to disrupt the energy supply so that people are left sitting in the cold and in the dark. "That is why we have once again mobilized additional funds to help rebuild the energy supply here."

She added that this is essential for survival in the winter temperatures.

During her visit, she plans to hold talks with representatives of the government and civil society. She also wants to visit several reconstruction projects. "I want to see for myself here that the money is actually going where it is needed," she said.

This is Schulze's second trip to Kiev this year and her fourth to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022.