Andriy Danik
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Merz makes unannounced Kyiv visit, announces over €1.3 billion in new German support for Ukraine
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Kyiv by special train on 4 October for an unannounced solidarity visit, meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky and announcing a new German support package for Ukraine worth more than €1.3 billion. The two leaders honored fallen Ukrainian defenders at the Maidan memorial, toured a Russian drone strike site at the National Academy of Sciences, and oversaw the signing of 15 bilateral agreements with a combined reported value of over €8.5 billion. The package includes roughly €1 billion in military support and about €350 million for Ukraine's energy sector ahead of winter, along with thousands of interceptor drones to counter Russian jet-powered Shahed-type drones.