Merz pledges €1bn in arms as drone hits Kyiv bridge
A Russian drone struck the North Bridge in Kyiv on Sunday morning while Chancellor Friedrich Merz was in the Ukrainian capital on an unannounced solidarity visit. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the roadway of the bridge had been hit and that debris from a downed drone fell onto the roof of a residential building. Air raid sirens sounded several times during the Chancellor's programme.
Merz arrived by train in the morning, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, and met President Volodymyr Zelensky. Germany is pledging one billion euros for weapons, including drones to counter Russia's increasingly fast attack drones, plus a further 350 million euros to support Ukraine's energy supply ahead of the fifth winter of the war. Germany is already Ukraine's largest supporter.
Together, the two leaders visited the Academy of Sciences, which was hit in a drone attack last Monday, a few hundred metres from the German embassy. Merz called the strikes on civilians daily war crimes and urged Vladimir Putin to end the war, saying Germany is ready for talks. He also warned: "If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us."
The visit comes after Moscow warned foreigners and diplomats on Saturday against travelling to Kyiv and urged them to leave the city. Russia has hit several bridges over the Dnipro, energy plants and residential areas in recent days, and Klitschko has described the situation in the city as extremely dramatic.
What it means for you: German support for Ukraine continues and is growing, with defence and energy aid now the focus. If you have family or friends in Kyiv, follow official Ukrainian air raid alerts closely and check the Foreign Office travel advice before any trip to Ukraine.