German president says Kiev refusal to host him "historic insult"

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a telephone conversation in May that Kiev's refusal to host him in April was a "historic insult", German newspaper Spiegel reported on Saturday, citing sources. 
 
According to high-ranking sources in Berlin, Steinmeier told Zelensky that the refusal "became a historical insult unique to the head of state," adding that he would like to receive an explanation before talking about a "joint future" between Germany and Ukraine, Spiegel indicated. 

The newspaper pointed out that after some conciliatory words from Zelensky, the German president said that the topic was closed.
 
It is noteworthy that in April, German news outlet Bild reported that Zelensky refused to host Steinmeier in Kiev due to his "close connections" to Russia in recent years.

Later, Steinmeier confirmed that he was advised by Polish President Andrzej Duda to take a joint trip to Ukraine with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, yet Kiev deemed it "undesirable".