Chancellor Merz in Kyiv: Solidarity visit under Russian drone fire

Kyiv. During a solidarity visit to Kiev, Chancellor Friedrich Merz assured Ukraine of continued support for the defensive fight against Russia and urgently appealed to the Russian President: “Mr. Putin, stop this senseless war!” The Chancellor said he was ready for talks in front of the ruins of the Academy of Sciences, which was destroyed in a drone attack a few days ago. “But these barbaric attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population must stop.”

However, Russia continued to intensify its air strikes on Kiev and the entire Ukraine during the visit. There was another impact on the northern bridge over the Dnipro River. Mayor Vitali Klitschko spoke of two injuries. The column of smoke was visible from far away. At the time, the Chancellor was safe in the German embassy just over five kilometers away. In the first five hours of his visit alone, drone alarms were triggered five times in the capital.

Sirens also blared as he and Ukrainian President Zelensky toured what remained of the historic Academy of Sciences building. “These are daily war crimes that are committed here,” he said there.

A total of 1.35 billion euros for weapons and infrastructure

Merz will be accompanied in Kiev by Economics Minister Katherina Reiche and ten entrepreneurs from the arms and energy sectors in Kiev. The Chancellor brings concrete help. The delivery of thousands of interceptor drones is expected to begin shortly, with which the fast and therefore particularly dangerous Russian jet-powered combat drones can be combated.

In addition, the production of long-range weapons should be pushed forward with which supply lines behind the front in Russia can be attacked. A total of one billion euros is to be released from already approved budget funds - and a further 350 million euros for the repair and reconstruction of destroyed power plants.

Germany is Ukraine's biggest supporter in its defensive battle against the Russian war of aggression, which has lasted more than four and a half years.

Zelenskyj attests to Germany’s “consistent leadership”

Zelenskyj thanked Merz for Germany “consistently demonstrating leadership in protecting the lives of Ukrainians from Russian attacks.” Russia must be “stopped together”.

Other parts of Ukraine also raised air alerts about Russian attacks. According to Ukrainian information, 135 drones were used. “And the main targets of these terrorists, as always, include ordinary homes, critical infrastructure - everything that makes up normal everyday life,” Zelensky said. There were also power outages. Last week alone, Russia deployed over 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 glide bombs and 25 missiles.

Chancellor Merz arrived in Kyiv by train in the morning. Just a few hours earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned foreign visitors and diplomats against staying in Kiev, citing impending attacks. They should leave the city and, above all, stay away from military objects and government buildings, it said in a statement.

“You can continue to count on our help”

Merz did not let this dissuade him from his travel plans. He had traveled to Kiev “because Ukraine needs all our support for the coming weeks,” he said upon his arrival. “If Russia is not stopped, sooner or later its war machine will turn against us.” He brought Zelensky the message: “You can continue to count on our help.”

Merz had already assured Ukraine of Germany's continued solidarity in a keynote speech on Thursday - despite all resistance to further billions in aid in his own country. "If we falter in Germany, then Europe falters. If Europe falters, then Ukraine also falters," he warned at the awarding of the Westphalian Peace Prize to NATO in Münster. The promise to continue to stand firmly by Ukraine's side should now be reinforced with the visit to Kiev.

Fourth Chancellor's visit since the beginning of the war

It is the fourth visit by a chancellor since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Merz's predecessor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was in the war zone twice during his three and a half year term in office. Merz visited Kiev last May just four days after being sworn in as Chancellor in the Bundestag - together with French President Emmanuel Macron, then British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

It was the first major joint diplomatic initiative by the Europeans to bring about peace in Ukraine. From Kiev, the four heads of state and government ultimately called on Russia to an unconditional ceasefire. Nothing came of this, and later diplomatic initiatives initially came to nothing.

First contact with Moscow was sobering

Merz now hopes to use sustained military pressure to persuade Russia to come to the negotiating table. A few days ago, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul got in touch with Moscow again for the first time in years and met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York. The result was sobering. Lavrov then made a disparaging statement about the conversation: It had brought nothing new.