BERLIN — The Berlin police have opened an investigation after an officer shared details of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit to the German capital with the press.
The information published in the media “contain[ed] confidential details of an operation that is being planned,” the Berlin police said in a statement Thursday, adding that an inquiry into the “breach of secrecy” had been launched.
“I find it unbearable that — if you believe the article in the newspaper — a single employee is damaging the reputation of the Berlin police in such a shameful way, both nationally and internationally,” Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik said.
Local newspaper B.Z. was the first to report Wednesday that Zelenskyy was set to visit the German capital on May 13, quoting “security sources” and “a Berlin police officer involved in the planning.”
The article included details about the Ukrainian president’s itinerary, and the name of the hotel he was going to stay at.
News of Zelenskyy’s trip was quickly picked up by a number of national and foreign outlets — including POLITICO — after a spokesperson for the Berlin police confirmed the visit would take place.
In its statement Thursday, the German capital’s police said it had “only confirmed” ongoing preparations ahead of the trip, without providing “any information that endangered the state visit.”
German news outlet t-online said it learned from “circles close to the [Ukrainian] government” on Wednesday that Kyiv is considering canceling Zelenskyy’s trip because of the leak.
According to the report, the officials were “gravely disappointed” that “apparently very sensitive security policy information” had been deliberately published from German sources. This process was “irresponsible” and could “call into question a possible visit by the Ukrainian president.”
Nicolas Camut reported from Brussels and Gabriel Rinaldi reported from Berlin.
