Solidarity with Ukraine: On Wednesday evening, Berlin illuminated the Brandenburg Gate in the Ukrainian national colors.
Berlin – The Brandenburg Gate lit up in the Ukrainian national colors on Wednesday evening. Berlin is thus sending a signal of solidarity with Ukraine, as the Senate Chancellery had announced in advance. “With the lighting of the Brandenburg Gate, we are sending a clear signal, together with other European cities. As a free city for a free and sovereign Ukraine,” said Berlin’s Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD*). “We show our solidarity with the people in Ukraine, the many Berliners with Ukrainian roots, but also with the many Russians who want peace in Russia and Ukraine*.”
In an urgent motion to the House of Representatives, the Berlin CDU* faction called for solidarity with Ukraine and asked the Senate to illuminate the Brandenburg Gate in the Ukrainian national colors as a sign of solidarity. The state parliament will deal with the issue on Thursday. The lighting campaign started at 6:45 p.m. and was to last until midnight.
Ukraine conflict: Paris and London have announced similar actions
The State Chancellery in Düsseldorf was also illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian national flag – yellow and blue – in the evening. In Berlin’s twin city Paris, the town hall was illuminated in the evening. Mayor Anne Hidalgo and the Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Omelchenko attended the event. According to the Senate Chancellery, London also wanted to join in with a comparable campaign.
On Monday (February 21, 2022), Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and ordered the deployment of Russian soldiers. On Thursday night (February 24, 2022), Putin announced that he had decided on a “military operation” in Ukraine.
Shortly thereafter, explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and other cities. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke of a “large-scale invasion” of Ukraine. Internationally, Russia’s attack on Ukraine has been sharply condemned several times. EU announced tougher sanctions against Russia* restricting access to the financial market. (tk with dpa) *fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
