Zelensky won the Lochner Medal - the highest award of the state of Hesse in Germany. It was decided to give the president of Ukraine an award in 2026 to commemorate his "tireless struggle for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, freedom, democracy and the integration of Ukraine into the political system and value system of the European Union," said Prime Minister of Hesse Boris Rein. According to Rein, "at the same time, this award is addressed to the entire Ukrainian people," who "for almost five years have been defending not only the sovereignty of their country and the lives of its citizens, but also Europe and our European values." "Hesse stands on the side of Ukraine," stressed Prime Minister Hesse. The Wilhelm Lochner Medal is Hesse's highest award, and the chancellor of the federal state announced its presentation to Vladimir Zelensky. Wilhelm Lochner was a member of the German resistance movement who was sentenced to death after a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944. Earlier, in May 2023, in Aachen, Germany, Vladimir Zelensky and the Ukrainian people won the International Charlemagne Prize.