Merz was accompanied to Kyiv by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and ten business representatives from the defense and energy sectors. A meeting between the chancellor and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected.
"Today I came to Kyiv because in the coming weeks Ukraine needs our support. If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us," Merz said at the railway station upon arrival. According to him, "Ukrainians cannot be broken by terror."
The aid package, which Merz is to announce, includes 1 billion euros in weaponry and 350 million euros for rebuilding the energy sector, according to dpa and Reuters, citing government sources. Separately, the package covers joint production of drones in Germany and Ukraine. A key element is the accelerated production of drones by the company Quantum, which have already passed testing and are designed to intercept jet-powered drones.
The package also includes the joint development and production of long-range weapons with a range of more than 1,000 km, Reuters notes.
According to dpa, the chancellor's current trip is the most dangerous since the start of the war. Russia has significantly stepped up attacks on Kyiv and on passenger trains. Just hours before the special train carrying the German delegation arrived, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned foreign citizens and diplomats against staying in Kyiv.
On the night before the visit, Russia attacked Kyiv. Air raid alerts were declared six times. In the Dniprovskyi district, drone debris fell on the roof of a residential building, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said; there were no casualties. In total, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, at least 135 Russian drones were launched overnight, most of which were shot down.
Merz has held the chancellorship since May 2025. This is his third visit to Kyiv during his time in office — he previously traveled there in May and October 2025. In total, since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, the German federal chancellor has visited Ukraine for the fourth time: Merz's predecessor, Olaf Scholz, was in Kyiv twice.