German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Sunday and pledged more than 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in new aid for Ukraine, as Russian drones struck the capital while he was there, including one that hit a major bridge over the Dnieper River.
Merz said roughly 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) will go to weapons, among them long-range strike systems, combat drones and satellite technology, “so that Ukraine can also target Russian launch pads.” A further 350 million euros ($395 million) is earmarked for generators, substations and energy repairs ahead of winter, The Associated Press reported. It will be Ukraine’s fifth winter since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us,” Merz said in a written statement. At a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he said the trip, made as drones hit the city, showed that Germany “will not be intimidated.” Germany is Ukraine’s biggest donor: Since the war began, it has provided more than 43.3 billion euros ($48.8 billion) plus weapons and equipment, according to the AP.
Merz traveled to Kyiv by special train with Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche and about 10 executives from German defense and energy companies, Euronews reported. German officials told Reuters the companies signed 14 agreements with Ukraine’s government and businesses worth about 6.6 billion euros, among them deals for IRIS-T air defense missiles from Diehl Defence, radar equipment from Hensoldt and jet-powered drone interceptors from Quantum Systems. Zelenskyy, giving a broader tally, said the two countries concluded 15 agreements totaling more than 8.5 billion euros ($9.6 billion), the AP reported.
Strikes during the visit
Sirens sounded and explosions echoed across Kyiv as Merz and Zelenskyy paid their respects at a memorial to fallen Ukrainian soldiers. They also visited a National Academy of Sciences building in central Kyiv, where a Russian strike on Sept. 28 killed two people.
“These barbaric attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine must stop. These are daily war crimes,” Merz said there. He urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end “this senseless war,” adding, “We’re ready to talk.” He also said Russia understands only the “language of strength,” Euronews reported.
One drone struck the roadway of the Northern Bridge, injuring two people and damaging a hot water line nearby, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Three of Kyiv’s six road bridges have been fully or partly closed because of Russian strikes since Thursday, the AP reported.
Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, relying more on jet-powered drones that are faster than older propeller models and harder to shoot down. Zelenskyy said Russia launched 900 of them in the past week and Ukraine managed to intercept only about half.
“This is maximum escalation of this war,” Zelenskyy told reporters, saying Putin wants to drive residents out of Ukraine’s major cities. On Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned foreigners and diplomats against traveling to Ukraine and said strikes would continue in what it called retaliation for Ukrainian attacks inside Russia. On Sunday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it would intensify strikes on military-industrial targets in Kyiv and elsewhere, after Zelenskyy told Reuters that Ukraine would step up attacks on Russian oil refineries.
US push for talks
Zelenskyy said Washington, which is talking to both sides, has proposed that U.S., Ukrainian and Russian officials hold technical-level talks before October ends, with the United Arab Emirates as a possible venue, the AP reported. He said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had sent him a message urging a quick return to three-way negotiations, according to Reuters. Ukraine has told U.S. negotiators it is ready to take part and is waiting for Moscow’s answer, Zelenskyy said, adding that Western allies must put more pressure on Russia to end the war.
What’s next
Zelenskyy said the two countries are close to finalizing a wider defense agreement, which he has said would cover joint production of drones, missiles and software. Al Jazeera reported that the plan includes weapons with a range of more than 600 miles, which would let Ukraine hit targets deeper inside Russia. Merz said Germany will also fund joint production of interceptor drones built to counter Russia’s jet-powered drones.
At home, Merz faces political pressure. A new INSA poll put his CDU/CSU alliance at 18%, its lowest in that survey, while the far-right Alternative for Germany reached a record 30%, Euronews reported. In Kyiv, officials are now waiting to see whether Russia accepts the U.S. proposal for talks.
