UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that his country is preparing a counter-offensive to liberate areas occupied by Russia, not to attack Russian territory.

Speaking during a news conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine’s goal is to free the territories within its internationally recognised borders.

Chancellor Scholz told Mr Zelensky that Germany will support Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”

This was Mr Zelensky’s first visit to Germany since Russia’s invasion last year.

The Ukrainian president is visiting allies in search of further arms deliveries to support his much-vaunted counter-offensive against Russia. 

President Zelensky was flown to Berlin from the Italian capital Rome, where he met yesterday with Pope Francis and fascist Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.

The Vatican said that the two men spoke about Ukraine’s “humanitarian and political situation provoked by the ongoing war.”

At the end of April, the Pope said that the Vatican was involved in a behind the scenes peace mission but gave no details. Neither Russia nor Ukraine has confirmed such an initiative has taken place.

On the eve of his arrival in Berlin the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than €2.7 billion, including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.

“Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defence. Reconstruction. EU. Nato. Security,” Mr Zelensky tweeted on Sunday in an apparent reference to the key priorities of his trip.

After initially hesitating to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, Germany has become one of the biggest suppliers of arms to Ukraine, including Leopard I and II battle tanks and the sophisticated IRIS-T SLM air-defence system. 

While German leaders have expressed strong backing for Ukraine, German voters are divided on whether the country should provide further weapons, particularly advanced fighter jets of the kind Kiev is asking for.