© dpa
This Saturday, a solidarity demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate will commemorate the Russian invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
Among others, the governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) is expected to give a speech at the demonstration. The organizers are hoping for a "strong signal" for Ukraine. According to the police, 2000 participants are registered.
Wegner emphasized in a statement that Berlin continues to stand firmly by the side of the people in Ukraine: «The Ukrainians have been fighting without interruption for two years - for their lives, for the existence of the Ukrainian nation». There should be no neutrality or relativization in this fight. As in previous events, the Brandenburg Gate will once again be illuminated in the colors of Ukraine. Berlin and Kyiv have been twin cities since September 2023.
Forgetting" on the so-called Campus for Democracy at the former Stasi headquarters in Lichtenberg will also draw attention to the war at 4 pm. A prayer for peace is also planned at 6 pm in St. Thomas Church on Mariannenplatz in Kreuzberg and a memorial concert at 6 pm in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Breitscheidtplatz in Charlottenburg. Russia invaded the neighboring country with thousands of soldiers on 24 February 2022. Since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed or injured, including thousands of civilians in Ukraine. Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine's territory.