Ukrainian State Protection Administration
-
Merz makes unannounced Kyiv visit, announces €1.3bn aid package and joint weapons production
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by train on Sunday, 4 October, for an unannounced solidarity visit, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and around ten executives from German defence and energy firms. Together with President Volodymyr Zelensky, he announced a comprehensive German aid package worth more than €1.3 billion covering weapons, winter energy support and funding for production of interceptors against Shahed-type drones, and confirmed plans for joint German-Ukrainian production of drones and long-range strike weapons. The visit took place under active Russian strikes on the capital, including a drone hit on the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro and multiple air-raid sirens.