German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Sunday as Russia launched fresh attacks on the Ukrainian capital, including a strike on a key bridge, in a stark display of the dangers facing Ukraine's allies.
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| German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, and Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche, center, meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at a railway station in Kyiv on Sunday, October 4, 2026. |
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, October 4, 2026, in a high-stakes show of support for Ukraine as Russia intensified its aerial campaign against Ukrainian cities.
The visit, Merz's second trip to the Ukrainian capital since becoming chancellor, came as air raid sirens blared across Kyiv and a Russian drone struck the Northern Bridge in the city, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
"Impact on the road surface of the Northern Bridge. Emergency services are heading to the scene," Klitschko wrote on Telegram. The strike occurred soon after Merz's arrival, underscoring the volatile security situation on the ground.
A Message of Solidarity
Merz said he traveled to Kyiv to demonstrate Germany's unwavering solidarity with Ukraine, which has been fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for more than four and a half years. Germany is Ukraine's largest donor, having sent more than €43.3 billion ($48.8 billion) in equipment and weapons since the war began.
"If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us," Merz said in a statement Sunday. He added that he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "You can continue to count on our help."
Writing on X, Merz framed the visit in urgent terms. "Ukraine is facing decisive weeks. That is why I traveled to Kyiv today with the message: You can rely on us," he wrote, noting that Germany's own security "also depends on the outcome of this war."
Merz also said the partnership between the two countries was "not a one-way street," pointing to German and Ukrainian companies jointly developing technologies that benefit both sides. "This makes us safer and stronger," he said.
Zelenskyy Thanks Germany as Talks Focus on Defense
Zelenskyy thanked Germany in a post on X and said the two countries would make "important agreements" during the visit to strengthen Ukraine's defenses and those of the rest of Europe. "Russia must be stopped together," he wrote.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the agenda would focus on "strengthening Ukraine, our defense and resilience, and our shared European security." Sybiha said Merz would hold talks with Zelenskyy.
The German chancellor was accompanied by Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche, who was photographed with Merz and Sybiha at a Kyiv railway station upon their arrival.
Russia Escalates Aerial Attacks
The visit unfolded against a backdrop of escalating violence. Russia's Foreign Ministry said Saturday it would continue to carry out "mass retaliatory strikes" on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, urging foreign nationals and diplomats to leave the country. It previously issued a similar warning in May.
The aerial war has intensified, with Moscow menacing cities across Ukraine with hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, while Kyiv has been striking Russia's oil industry and businesses.
Zelenskyy told Reuters on Saturday that Ukraine's armed forces would double down on their attacks on oil refineries in Russia in response to Moscow's "new doctrine" of escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure, which he said was aimed at forcing residents of Kyiv and other cities to flee.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow would continue to systematically hit targets in Ukraine in what it said were retaliatory strikes for Ukrainian attacks on Russia in recent months. It warned foreign nationals and diplomatic staff against staying in or traveling to Ukraine.
The fighting along the roughly 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line snaking through northern, eastern and southern Ukraine has been virtually deadlocked in recent months, and there are no concrete signs that a peace settlement might be possible.
More than four and a half years after Russia invaded its neighbor, the conflict shows no sign of winding down. Merz's visit — and the attack that greeted it — made clear that Ukraine's allies are operating in an increasingly dangerous environment.
On Thursday, Merz said Germany would not be intimidated by the rising number of hybrid attacks by Russia on European states.
As emergency crews responded to the bridge strike and air raid alerts continued across the capital, the German chancellor's visit served as both a diplomatic mission and a visible test of resolve.