From Germany, Charles III defends unity with Ukraine
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are on a three-day official visit to Germany. First for Charles III as King Abroad.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, his wife Elke Buitenbender, Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
AFP
Charles III on Wednesday evening called for the upholding of democratic values and praised solidarity with Ukraine in defending ‘independence’ against Russian ‘aggression’ as he embarked on a state visit to Germany, his first as a foreign monarch.
The UK and Germany “stand side by side to defend and advance shared democratic values”, he said in a speech at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. respect The fight, the British monarch added, “is epitomized by our standing together in the face of unprovoked aggression in defense of freedom and sovereignty alongside Ukraine.”
“Germany and the United Kingdom are today, militarily, the two biggest supporters of Ukraine in Europe,” echoed the German head of state, referring to a Russian invasion that revived for him “memories of the worst moments” in Europe’s history. The first day of the sovereign’s visit ended with dinner after an unprecedented ceremony at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate, an iconic monument that symbolized the division of Berlin for three decades.
“New Chapter”
Frank-Walter Steinmeier hailed a “new chapter” in relations between the two countries after Brexit. “Today, six years after the start of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, we open a new chapter in our relationship,” he said as he welcomed the King and his wife Camilla to Bellevue Castle.
The couple will stay in Germany for three days. First, he was supposed to travel to France earlier, but this trip was canceled due to social unrest related to the pension reform in this country. At the German capital’s international airport, Charles III and the Queen Consort were treated to 21 salutes, an overflight of two Eurofighters and an honorary military escort.
The famous Unter den Linden Avenue is decorated in British colours, a solemn event celebrating the friendship between the two countries. The stay is marked by an environmental theme, in which the former Prince Charles canters himself across the Channel.
Charles, 74, a longtime environmentalist, attended a reception at Château de Bellevue dedicated to climate challenges. On Friday, the last day of his trip to Germany, he will learn about a renewable energy production project in the port city of Hamburg.
Speech at the Bundestag
The event in Berlin continues on Thursday, featuring Charles III’s speech to the Bundestag. The king must meet Chancellor Olaf Scholes, meet Ukrainian refugees and visit an organic farm. It was not the first time that Charles found himself in the pulpit of the German lower house.
In November 2020, when he was still Crown Prince, he addressed German lawmakers on Remembrance Day, in a highly symbolic gesture marking post-war reconciliation between the United Kingdom and Germany. His most important visit begins in 1965 in Berlin, divided by the Wall.
It is seen as the moment that sealed the reconciliation between the two countries after World War II. Queen Elizabeth II’s last visit there in 2015, under Chancellor Angela Merkel, sparked great excitement.
AFP
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