Merz makes surprise visit to Kyiv: Germany pledges further aid to Ukraine

Friedrich Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, by special train on Sunday morning. The visit had not been publicly announced beforehand. Alongside Merz was Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, as well as around ten representatives of German companies from the defence and energy sectors.

The focus of the trip is further support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. According to German government sources, thousands of interceptor drones are to be delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces in the coming months. The systems are designed to counter Russian jet-powered drones, which are difficult to intercept due to their high speeds.

In addition, joint production of long-range weapons between Germany and Ukraine is to be expanded. Around one billion euros from already approved budget funds is to be made available for this purpose. A further €350 million from Germany is earmarked for the repair and reconstruction of damaged Ukrainian power plants.

Upon his arrival, Merz justified his trip by pointing to the current situation in the country. Ukraine needs “all our support for the coming weeks,” the German chancellor said. Referring to the upcoming fifth winter of the war, he pointed to Russian attacks on cities, homes and energy infrastructure.

In Kyiv, Merz was welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their talks are expected to focus not only on military support, but also on energy supplies and further cooperation between the two countries.