Ukraine’s Minister of Defense canceled his visits to Germany and Norway due to the intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine

Ukraine’s new Defense Minister, Yevhenii Khmara, has canceled his planned visits to Berlin and Oslo this week amid intensifying Russian attacks on Ukraine. The decision was announced ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Germany, where the official was scheduled to meet with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius.

According to a source within Ukraine’s defense ministry, Khmara postponed the visits because of the security situation and the need to devote “immediate attention” to accelerating retaliatory measures. The source said that discussions with international partners would continue “in other forms,” and Kyiv thanked its allies for their support.

The cancellation of the visits comes at a time when Ukraine is urgently seeking additional financial and military aid. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian territory, while Kyiv is frequently targeted, including at night.

The strikes have damaged residential buildings, warehouses, gas stations, data centers, and telecommunications operators’ infrastructure. On Monday, the Academy of Sciences in the capital was hit, with the attack resulting in at least one death and several injuries, according to Ukrainian authorities.