Following German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck's visit to Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Germany for its continued support for his country.
"We appreciate Germany's leadership role, which helps not only us in Ukraine to protect lives, but all of Europe itself - to preserve the very Europe that knows how to live peacefully, knows the law and knows how to take care of people," Zelensky said in his daily video address on Thursday.
He announced that the conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine planned for June in Berlin would primarily focus on bilateral projects in the defence and energy sectors.
The Ukrainian president said that he had discussed the situation on the front, and the need for air defence in particular, with Habeck. In a separate post on Telegram, Zelensky also praised the German government's decision to deploy another Patriot air-defence system to Ukraine.
Ukraine is suffering badly from Russian attacks using drones, missiles and glide bombs.
Despite the increasing problems on the front due to the lack of weapons and ammunition, Zelensky spread optimism in his video message. For example, the production of Ukrainian Bohdana artillery systems has been increased to 10 units per month. "That is a good result," he said.
Overall defence production has also increased significantly, especially in the production of drones and ammunition, said the president.
Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for more than two years. However, the country is heavily dependent on Western military aid.
Habeck was in Kiev on Thursday for a visit focused on Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, emergency aid, and strengthening the country's war-hit economy.
Habeck said upon arrival that the visit was taking place at a time when Ukraine needed all the support it could get in its "fight for freedom."
"Yes, Ukraine is fighting for its own self-determination, for its territorial integrity against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression, but is also fighting for the values that unite and characterize Europe," he said.
He laid flowers at a memorial wall for fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Thursday morning.
Habeck, who also serves as economy minister, was accompanied on the trip by a German business delegation.
In Kiev, he met Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister German Galushchenko, among others.
An air-raid alert sounded in the Ukrainian capital during Habeck's visit in the morning, the air force said. Ukraine had downed further drones and missiles in Russian attacks on seven regions overnight, the air force said.
At the weekend, the German government announced it would supply Kiev with another Patriot air-defence system.
A badly needed military aid package from the United States remains stalled, while Europe's drive to get more ammunition to Ukraine's battlefield troops has fallen short of its goal.
"The situation is certainly challenging, but the Ukrainians have managed to hold their own time and again over the past two years. And what Germany can do to support them, it will do," Habeck said.
Helmut Rauch, head of Germany's Diehl Defence, which manufactures the IRIS-T air defence systems, was among those accompanying Habeck. Diehl has so far supplied Kiev with three IRIS-Ts.
Diehl is to deliver a fourth system in the coming weeks, Rauch told a meeting of Habeck, Svyrydenko and business representatives. More are set to follow this year, he said.
"Our long-term goal is, of course, to be able to maintain and repair the systems ourselves on site in Ukraine," Rauch said.
Habeck said he hoped the US would agree on the next aid package "so Ukraine can successfully continue its fight for freedom." Svyrydenko described the package as "extremely important."
Ukraine has a budget deficit of around €37 billion ($39 billion), she said, noting that help from the European Commission is important.
"But of course we are counting on this US aid, not only in terms of macro-financial support, but above all in terms of military aid."
Jörg Ebel, the president of the German Solar Industry Association, said he saw huge potential for solar in Ukraine, both in the short and long-term.
Solar energy is affordable, reliable, and can be easily deployed, Ebel said. "This means that it is also very, very well suited to future attacks, because it cannot be threatened or even switched off in one fell swoop," he said.
The German government is seeking to encourage private business investments in Ukraine with guarantees that limit the risks.
Habeck was later due to travel on to Moldova to meet Prime Minister Dorin Recean.