German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits kyiv, promises billion-euro military aid

Did you miss the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes takes stock for you every evening. Here is the gist of this Sunday, October 4, 2026, on the 1,684th day of the conflict.

Fact of the day

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to kyiv this Sunday to support Ukraine. At the same time, a bridge in the Ukrainian capital was again attacked by a drone. Two of kyiv's eight bridges that cross the Dnieper River have been targeted in recent days by Russian jet drones, which are difficult to intercept.

Friedrich Merz must announce new military aid of around one billion euros for Ukraine, particularly intended for defense against these drones. He said: “If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us.” He added that Ukraine could “continue to count” on help from Germany. He must also promise 350 million euros for Ukrainian infrastructure before winter.

Today's statement

“Strikes by the Russian armed forces against military and industrial facilities, as well as related infrastructure, in kyiv and other regions of Ukraine will be intensified”

The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement

The two countries continue to exchange threats. Russia is this time warning Ukraine of an intensification of strikes, in response to statements made by Volodymyr Zelensky. The latter promised to increase kyiv's attacks on Russian refineries.

The trend

According to Volodymyr Zelensky, the United States plans to hold trilateral talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in late October, as part of American diplomatic efforts to find a way out of the war.

Our file on the war in Ukraine

“The American side is currently in contact with Ukraine and Russia and offers to somehow organize a meeting at the technical level, in a trilateral format, by the end of October,” the Ukrainian president said at a press conference this Sunday.