German Leaders Welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin for Talks on Arms Deliveries and Rebuilding Efforts

German leaders welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin on Sunday for talks about further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion and rebuild what’s been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict.

The German government had announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion) the day before Zelenskyy’s arrival. The aid includes tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.

The Ukrainian president had private talks with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday, later saying he sought support for Ukraine’s peace plan from the pontiff, who in the past has offered to try to help end the full-scale war launched by Russia a year ago.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Francis for “his personal attention to the tragedy of millions of Ukrainians” in a tweet after the 40-minute audience. He held his hand over his heart and said it was a “great honor” to meet with the pope.

A Luftwaffe jet flew Zelenskyy to the German capital from Rome, where he had met Saturday with Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. He tweeted Sunday that he was “already in Berlin” and thanked the German government for the “powerful package” of military aid.