Merz in Kyiv: a new €1.3bn support package and 15 deals worth €8.5bn

An unannounced visit

On Sunday, 4 October, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by train on an unannounced visit, DW reported, as cited by Ukrinform. He was accompanied by Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche and a delegation of business leaders from the defence and energy sectors.

“I have come to Kyiv today because in the coming weeks Ukraine will need our full support,” Merz said on arrival. He noted that Ukrainians will soon face a fifth winter of war while Russia shells cities, apartment blocks and combined heat and power plants. According to Ukrinform, this is the fourth visit by a German chancellor since the full-scale invasion began: Merz came as chancellor in May 2025, and his predecessor Olaf Scholz visited in June 2022 and December 2024.

What the package contains

At a joint press conference, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Germany had allocated a new comprehensive support package worth more than €1.3 billion. He described it as “weapons that will help now”, support for the energy sector ahead of winter, and money to produce new interceptors against jet-powered Shahed drones.

Merz specified that the military part is about €1 billion. It will go to air defence, long-range strike capabilities, combat drones and satellite technology, “so that Ukraine can also hit Russian launchers”. He singled out two priorities: air defence and communications, especially space-based communications. He declined to give types, quantities or delivery dates: “As for the details of the military support, please understand that we do not want to publish them in detail.”

According to DW, citing government sources, €1 billion from already approved budget funds was to be freed up to speed up deliveries of interceptor drones and long-range weapons, plus another €350 million for repairing and rebuilding damaged power plants.

15 agreements and a wish list

Zelensky said the two countries had concluded 15 agreements and documents on security — covering production, procurement, Ukrainian orders for German industry and joint projects in Ukraine. Their total “weight”, he said, exceeds €8.5 billion. He also recalled that the German government has allocated €11.5 billion to support Ukraine this year.

At a separate meeting, Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara handed Merz a list of weapons Ukraine’s Defence Forces need, including munitions for F-16s and missiles for IRIS-T and Patriot systems. Khmara said Germany’s 2026 aid amounts to about a third of all military aid Ukraine has received this year and is the largest contribution of any partner.

Zelensky confirmed he had also raised Taurus cruise missiles; handing them over, he said, would signal that Ukraine is getting stronger. Asked whether he believed Germany would deliver them, he replied: “Of course — never give up.”

Drones, the EU and the backdrop

Merz and Zelensky signed an agreement to deepen cooperation on countering drones, under which Germany will make greater use of Ukrainian experience. The chancellor linked this to the 4 August attack on Leipzig Airport and stressed that the partnership is “not a one-way street”.

Merz also said Berlin is working in Brussels to speed up Ukraine’s EU accession, while reforms on the rule of law and anti-corruption remain important for further financial aid.

Why it matters

The visit came amid intensifying Russian strikes on Kyiv and direct threats from Moscow against foreign diplomats. Zelensky thanked Merz specifically for coming at such a moment. For Ukraine, the key elements are air defence and tools against jet drones before winter; for Germany, access to Ukraine’s battlefield experience and joint production.