Kyiv. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Ukraine on Sunday, October 4, 2026, on an unannounced visit and brought a package of aid: around one billion euros for military support and another 350 million euros for the energy sector, which Russia is systematically destroying ahead of winter. This is reported by tagesschau.
The Chancellor was accompanied by Economics Minister Katherina Reiche and a delegation of German entrepreneurs. The visit took place under heightened security: the day before, Moscow warned foreign politicians against traveling to Ukraine, and already during Merz's stay in Kyiv, Russian drones struck the city — two people were injured.
What the money will be used for
According to Merz, the key element of this package is an agreement on the joint production of so-called anti-jet drones, that is, interceptors for fast Russian jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as missiles with a range of over 1,000 kilometers. Separately, there is talk of satellite technologies that will help the Ukrainian army in targeting.
- Diehl — according to the Ukrainian government, the supply of thousands of IRIS-T anti-aircraft missiles;
- Hensoldt — a contract for satellite technologies;
- Quantum — the development and serial production of interceptor drones; in government circles, there is talk of more than 15,000 such devices.
In total, according to the Chancellor, agreements worth more than six billion euros were concluded during the visit. Zelensky specified that 15 agreements were signed — in particular on strike drones and missiles.
"Not a business case": Merz on peace negotiations
At a joint press conference, Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the United States plans new trilateral negotiations with the United States, Russia, and Ukraine — for now only at the expert level, by the end of October. Kyiv, according to him, is ready for a meeting in the United Arab Emirates "or in another country proposed by the American side."
Merz emphasized: peace in Ukraine is not a "business case." Talks cannot be held over the heads of Europeans and "above all not over the head of Ukraine" — only Ukraine should decide its own fate.
"Russia is also waging war against Germany"
In an interview with the program Bericht aus Berlin, the Chancellor explained why aid to Ukraine serves the interests of Germans themselves: it is needed for the political stability of all of Europe. Russia, according to him, is waging war not only against Ukraine but also against Europe and Germany — the August incident with drones over Leipzig Airport, Merz called an "armed attack" that came exclusively from Russia.
The Chancellor also emphasized that cooperation works both ways: German defense companies learn from Ukrainian combat experience, and joint German-Ukrainian enterprises should also strengthen Germany's own protection against drones.
The fifth wartime winter
Ukraine is preparing for the already fifth winter of the full-scale war, and strikes on the energy system continue. Zelensky reminded that Russia still has more than 700 ballistic missiles, which are especially difficult to shoot down, and every month it produces 150–200 new ones. Therefore, Ukraine, according to him, will attack the manufacturing plants, and will respond to strikes on bridges.
What this means for Ukrainians in Germany
For the Ukrainian community in Germany, the visit is an important signal: despite internal debates about the budget and social payments, Berlin is not cutting support for Ukraine but is converting it into long-term industrial cooperation. The separate 350 million for energy directly concerns families who have remained at home — warmth and light in winter.
The material was prepared based on tagesschau reports dated October 4, 2026. The text is an independent Ukrainian retelling, not a verbatim translation.