Germany Pledges $1.5 Billion More For Ukraine As Merz Visits Kyiv Amid Russian Attacks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced more than €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) in fresh assistance for Ukraine during an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Sunday, as Russia intensified its aerial campaign against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

The package includes around €1 billion in military assistance and another €350 million for the energy sector, including generators and repairs to power infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes. The military support will include long-range weapons, air defence missiles, combat drones and satellite technology. Germany will also fund the production of thousands of interceptor drones designed to counter Russia's increasingly used jet-powered attack drones.

Merz travelled to Kyiv with a high-level economic delegation and said Germany would continue supporting Ukraine. He and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also oversaw the signing of 15 agreements and documents covering security cooperation, defence production, procurement and joint projects. Zelenskyy said the agreements were worth more than €8.5 billion in total.

The visit came as Russian attacks continued across Ukraine. A Russian drone struck Kyiv's Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River, injuring two people and adding to a series of attacks that have disrupted traffic across the capital. Ukrainian authorities have restricted or suspended traffic on several bridges amid repeated strikes.

Zelenskyy said Russia had launched around 900 jet-powered drones against Ukraine in the previous week, alongside other attack drones and ballistic missiles. Ukraine has been working with Germany to expand its ability to intercept the fast-moving weapons, including through joint drone production.

The broader Russian aerial campaign has also caused casualties elsewhere. Ukrainian authorities said at least five people were killed and 30 injured in Russian attacks across the country over a 24-hour period on October 4. Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 135 attack drones overnight, including 52 jet-powered drones, while Ukrainian air defences intercepted 125 targets.

A Russian strike also hit a pharmaceutical warehouse in Sumy owned by an Indian company, killing one person, according to Ukrainian authorities. Six people were injured in a separate strike on a communications facility in Dnipro.

At the same time, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Kyiv said its long-range strikes had put more than 51 per cent of Russia's oil-refining capacity out of action, though the claim could not be independently verified. Russia and Ukraine have both stepped up aerial attacks as fighting along the roughly 1,200-kilometre front line has largely stagnated.

Merz condemned attacks on civilians and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, while saying Germany remained open to diplomacy. He also accused Moscow of hostile activities against Germany, including drone incidents, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.

Germany has provided €43.3 billion in support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The latest package comes as Kyiv faces renewed pressure on its energy infrastructure ahead of another winter and seeks additional air defence capabilities.