Zelensky likely to visit Germany in May

In May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could visit Germany for the awarding of the Charlemagne Prize, which rewards efforts aiding European unification, to him and the Ukrainian people, reported dpa.

The ceremony is set to take place in the coronation room of Aachen City Hall, in western Germany, on May 14.

The prize organizers are preparing for such a scenario, the city of Aachen announced shortly before Easter. However, Zelensky's participation would depend "strongly on the war situation at that time and the corresponding security concepts," they said.

If Zelensky cannot attend in person, he will join via video, organizers said, adding that planning was also under way for this option.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been officially announced as a speaker at the prize-giving ceremony. The Sunday edition of the German tabloid Bild reported that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will also come to Aachen and deliver the laudation.

There is also speculation that Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki or President Andrzej Duda as well as French President Emmanuel Macron may attend.

The date of the ceremony has already been pushed forward to accommodate for the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, which is set to begin on May 19. The ceremony will thus take place four days before its usual May 18 date, on Ascension Day.

The Charlemagne Prize of the city of Aachen has been awarded since 1950 to personalities who have rendered outstanding services to the unity of Europe.

Last year, the Belarusian civil rights activists Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Veronica Tsepkalo and Maria Kolesnikova received the prize.