German Chancellor Merz arrived in Kyiv amid air raid sirens. He is finalizing a drone deal and releasing €1 billion in aid.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to the sound of air raid sirens and explosions, visiting Ukraine’s capital alongside CEOs from German defense companies to finalize a joint drone production deal and release new military aid amid escalating Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. “I traveled to Kyiv today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks,” Merz said, adding that Russian forces were bombing towns, residential buildings and heating plants.
German officials said Merz would announce the release of €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for repairs to Ukraine’s energy sector. The visit is also expected to finalize an agreement for the joint production of drones, missiles and related software, a deal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday was close to completion after speaking with Merz by phone. The agreement includes the joint development and production of weapons with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers that Ukraine could use to strike deep inside Russian territory. “I will tell President Zelenskyy today: ‘You can continue to count on our help,'” Merz said. Merz is also expected to press Ukraine’s government for progress on reforms requested by European Union partners, including anti-corruption measures.
The visit coincided with a major overnight exchange of drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine. Russian air defenses said they shot down 120 Ukrainian drones overnight and 39 more before 2 p.m. local time, as strikes disrupted flights at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and St. Petersburg airports, with Russia’s Transport Ministry reporting hundreds of delays and cancellations. Russian strikes using Shahed drones injured several civilians in Kyiv and Kharkiv and targeted port infrastructure in Mykolaiv, according to local officials. Since the summer, Russia has used dozens of high-speed jet attack drones daily to target Ukrainian civilian and military infrastructure; Russia said Saturday it would continue striking Ukrainian targets, describing the attacks as retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. Merz said Thursday that Germany would not be intimidated by a rising number of Russian hybrid attacks on European states.
This report is based on information from Reuters (via Business Recorder and TBS News), CNBC, Investing.com and The Moscow Times.