Germany's Merz visits Kyiv to pledge more support to Zelensky

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid escalating Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. According to the Kyiv Independent, Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital by train and was accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and 10 executives from Germany's defense and energy sectors.

Merz's visit aimed to reaffirm Berlin's support for Ukraine, with talks focused on bilateral relations, European affairs, and international issues. The German chancellor is expected to make new commitments on financial and military assistance, including the delivery of thousands of interceptor drones and support for faster production of long-range weapons for Ukraine, as reported by the Kyiv Independent.

The Business Recorder stated that Merz will announce a package of measures that includes the release of €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for repairs in the energy sector.

Merz emphasized the need for support, stating that "if Russia is not stopped, its military machine will sooner or later turn against us," as quoted by the Kyiv Independent. He also expressed his government's commitment to helping Ukraine, saying "you can continue to count on our help," according to the Business Recorder.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, Winnipeg Free Press, Kyiv Independent, Business Recorder, Politico EU — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.