military aid. On the same day, the German cruisers Prinz Eugen and Admiral Hipper arrived in Helsinki, prompting Finnish concerns about the German intentions. The Finns were informed that a division from Heeresgruppe Nord had been ordered to reinforce the Finns, and that the first half of the promised assault gun brigade would arrive in Helsinki later that day. In all, the Germans could be expected to arrive at the front by 27 June. In negotiations with the Finnish President Risto Ryti during the night of 22–23 June, Ribbentrop indicated the Germans would be able to send further help in the form of aircraft and two or three assault gun brigades, and that a further one or two divisions of infantry could be "considered." On 23 June, Ribbentrop informed Erfurth that all help, including that currently en route, was contingent on a clear, official, "confessions" to Germany and that the "theory" of a Finnish separate war was no longer acceptable to the Germans. The decision would have to be made by 25 June, when Ribbentrop was to travel to Bulgaria, and this information was conveyed to the Finnish representatives the following day. While the Finnish political and military leadership continued discussions on how to reply to the German demands, a Soviet reply to the Finnish peace feelers arrived in Helsinki. In it, the Soviet Union demanded an official declaration, signed by both the president and the minister of foreign affairs, that the Finns truly were prepared to surrender. This caused further chaos in the Finnish leadership, who were divided about the correct steps to take. In a meeting on 24 June, the Finnish leadership estimated that the situation on the Finnish fronts had stabilized, with Soviet forces suffering heavy casualties and transferring their focus further south. The Germans were presented with a draft of a Finnish declaration that promised the Finns would continued to fight the Soviets, albeit without reference to fighting "alongside" the Germans. This draft, however, was rejected by Ribbentrop as being too vague and non-binding. He replied with a draft letter, to be signed and sent by Ryti. A key point of the letter was a promise that the Finns would not "lay down their arms" unless in agreement with the Germans. Debate remains about whether the rest of the German military and political leadership was aware of Ribbentrop's hard line. By 26 June, Mannerheim had been