German Chancellor Merz visits Kyiv as Russia strikes key bridge

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv amid Russian airstrikes, pledging robust support as the capital endures renewed attacks.

Published On 4 Oct 20264 Oct 2026

Russia struck a vital bridge in Kyiv as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The unannounced visit, accompanied by the sound of air raid sirens and explosions, occurred on Sunday, underscoring Germany’s commitment to Ukraine as Russian assaults on Ukrainian cities intensify.

Merz and Zelenskyy conferred at the National Academy of Sciences, a site that suffered a Russian drone strike on September 28.

Zelenskyy informed Merz that Kyiv’s residents are enduring “terrible nights and days” amid continued Russian assaults.

Merz was joined by his economics minister and senior executives from major German firms, including Siemens Energy and Diehl Defence.

Ukraine and Germany are slated to finalize an agreement on jointly producing long‑range drones and weapons capable of striking more than 600 miles inside Russian territory.

Germany remains one of Ukraine’s strongest allies. In April, the two nations signed a military cooperation accord exceeding $4 billion. On Sunday, a $1.1 billion military aid package is expected to be announced, together with $394 million for repairs to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Merz’s visit follows a day after Russia issued a warning to foreign diplomats and nationals to evacuate the capital to avoid harm.

Following President Zelenskyy’s Reuters interview in which he announced a intensified campaign targeting Russian oil refineries—after civilian casualties over the weekend—Russia’s Defence Ministry pledged to ramp up strikes against Ukraine.

Sunday’s attack on the Northern Bridge across the Dnipro River also destroyed a road and disrupted hot‑water services in the area, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on social media. This marks the second bridge in the capital to be hit this weekend.

Russia’s full‑scale war against Ukraine entered its fifth year, with both sides escalating drone and missile assaults on infrastructure, logistics hubs, and military installations in recent months.

Source link