German Chancellor Merz pledges Kyiv billions in military aid and drones during unannounced visit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Sunday by train for an unannounced visit to reaffirm Germany’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. He was accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and 10 executives from German defense and energy companies .
Merz said upon arrival that he traveled to Kyiv because “Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks,” adding, “If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us” . He pledged to tell President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that “you can continue to count on our help” .
Government sources told dpa that Merz intends to commit to delivering thousands of interceptor drones to counter Russian jet-powered attack drones and to accelerate joint production of long-range weapons capable of striking deep into Russian territory. The package includes €1 billion in military aid and an additional €350 million for energy infrastructure repairs, drawn from previously approved budget funds .
The visit came hours after Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv, citing planned “massive retaliatory strikes.” Merz’s delegation included CEOs from firms such as Siemens Energy, Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, and Quantum Systems, with discussions focused on finalizing joint drone and air defense production deals .
Follow us for live European news
- 6
- 3
- 3
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
7 further sources not geolocated









