On October 4, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and expressed support for Ukraine.
Merz issued a statement shortly after arriving in Kyiv, explaining his reasons: “In the coming weeks, Ukraine needs our full support, so I came to Kyiv,” and “If we fail to stop Russia, their war machine will soon be aimed at us.” The visit was accompanied by Germany’s Economy Minister and 10 executives from German defense and energy companies.
After meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chancellor Merz held a joint press conference and announced a total of €1.3 billion in additional aid. Of this, about €1 billion is military support, including long-range strike weapons, combat drones, and satellite technology. €350 million is energy support for power plants, substations, and repair work to prepare for winter.
Zelenskyy said on social media that Germany and Ukraine signed 15 agreements worth about €8.5 billion, centered on security cooperation, weapons production and procurement, and expanding joint drone response efforts.
Meanwhile, Russia blew up a bridge in northern Kyiv with drones that day. Recently, Russia has been carrying out high-intensity airstrikes on Kyiv.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova fiercely criticized Chancellor Merz’s visit to Kyiv that day, calling it “bloody PR” to boost his domestic approval ratings and “murderers returning to the scene of the crime.”
