German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Sunday, amidst the sound of air raid sirens and explosions. Merz visited President Volodymyr Zelensky, pledging support for Ukraine and urging Russia to halt its escalating attacks. The visit comes as Russia has been pounding the heart of Kyiv with persistent drone strikes since the start of the war in 2022.
During his visit, Merz will announce a package of measures, including the release of €1bn in military aid and €350m for repairs in the energy sector, according to German government officials. A deal for joint production of various kinds of drones is also due to be finalised. The two leaders visited the badly damaged building of Ukraine's Academy of Sciences, where at least two people died in a drone strike last week.
Merz called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the "senseless war," stating, "We are ready for talks, we are ready to discuss bringing this war to an end, but these barbaric attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine must stop." Four air raid alerts were heard across the capital on Sunday morning, and explosions and air defence systems also sounded across the city.
One of the Russian strikes hit the Northern Bridge across the Dnipro River, damaging its roadway, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. The strike injured two people and damaged a hot water supply system in the area. Russia has been targeting Kyiv's bridges since last week, aiming to disrupt links between the capital's two banks and logistics routes between central and eastern Ukraine.
Merz is accompanied by economy minister Katherina Reiche and an economic delegation, including executives from Siemens Energy, Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, and Quantum Systems. The delegation aims to strengthen economic ties and discuss reforms requested by EU partners, including in the fight against corruption.
Ukraine and Germany are expected to finalise a deal for the production of drones, missiles, and related software. A key focus of the agreement is the rapid production of anti-jet drones, which Quantum, a German defence technology company, has successfully tested. The deal also involves joint development and production of weapons with a range of more than 1,000km, which Ukraine can use to launch attacks deep inside Russia.
Russia's foreign ministry warned foreign nationals and diplomatic staff against staying in or travelling to Ukraine, stating that Moscow would continue to systematically hit targets in Ukraine in retaliatory strikes for Ukrainian attacks on Russia in recent months. Zelensky told Reuters that Ukraine's armed forces would double down on their attacks on oil refineries in Russia in response to Moscow's escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Key points
- Germany pledges €1bn in military aid and €350m for energy sector repairs.
- Merz and Zelensky discuss joint production of drones and missiles.
- Russia continues retaliatory strikes against Ukraine amidst escalating conflict.
