Ukraine and Germany have signed a $1.5 billion agreement aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s ability to counter escalating Russian drone attacks, coinciding with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to the Ukrainian capital, where air raid sirens sounded and new strikes were reported.
The agreement includes support for the production of weapons designed to counter combat drones, as well as assistance for Ukraine’s energy sector as Kyiv prepares for the winter amid continued Russian attacks on electricity and heating infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the agreement includes expanded cooperation on drone production, including the development of systems capable of intercepting new Russian drones equipped with jet engines.
During a joint press conference with Zelenskyy, Merz said the two countries had made significant technological progress in this field, adding that increased production would strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
He also said Germany continues to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons, combat drones and satellite-related technologies, enabling Ukrainian forces to target Russian drone launch sites.
Diplomatic Efforts to End the War
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said the United States plans to organize trilateral talks involving representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States by the end of October, as part of Washington’s diplomatic efforts to push toward an end to the war.
He said Washington is currently in contact with both Kyiv and Moscow and has proposed holding a technical-level trilateral meeting before the end of the month.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, meanwhile, said India is seeking to strengthen its role as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. He noted that New Delhi has been involved in efforts to facilitate dialogue for years, but that its engagement in recent months has expanded beyond calls for negotiations to direct discussions with both sides.
Merz Visits Kyiv Under Air Raid Sirens
Merz’s visit to Kyiv was repeatedly interrupted by air raid sirens. During one tour with Zelenskyy to inspect damage to the National Academy of Sciences following a reported Russian drone strike, two people were killed.
Merz said the damage he witnessed reflected the scale of the suffering caused by the war and called for an end to attacks on civilians.
An explosion heard across the capital also damaged the road surface on the Northern Bridge, one of the bridges connecting the two sides of Kyiv across the Dnipro River. The area had reportedly come under repeated attacks in recent days.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital needed to remain on high alert as the pace of attacks intensified.
Strikes have hit residential areas, fuel stations, schools, railway facilities and communications infrastructure, while repeated air raid alerts have disrupted daily life and heightened tensions across the city.
Upon arriving in Ukraine, Merz said continued support for Kyiv was vital to Europe’s security and stressed the need to maintain assistance to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Russia Threatens to Intensify Strikes
Russia, meanwhile, announced plans to intensify strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure in response to Zelenskyy’s statements about increasing attacks on Russian oil refineries.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces would step up strikes against military and industrial facilities, as well as related infrastructure in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine.
On Saturday, Russia also warned foreigners and diplomats against remaining in Kyiv, saying the capital would face further large-scale strikes.
Despite the warnings, officials and leaders from countries supporting Ukraine continued to visit the capital. The European Union mission in Kyiv confirmed that it would remain in place and continue supporting Ukraine, while noting that contingency plans were in place to deal with various scenarios, including the challenges posed by the winter.
German Support for Ukraine’s Energy Sector
Ukraine is also preparing for the potential impact of further attacks on its energy infrastructure as winter approaches. Similar strikes last year caused electricity and heating outages lasting several days, while temperatures fell to extremely low levels.
In Kyiv, a city of around 3 million people, residents have begun preparing for the possibility of renewed disruptions to electricity and heating. Authorities have also encouraged vulnerable groups and people with disabilities to consider leaving the capital if necessary.
Merz said Germany had allocated around €350 million for a winter support program aimed at helping Ukraine provide generators, substations and repairs to its power grid.
The measures come as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its air defenses and protect critical infrastructure amid continued Russian attacks and intensified diplomatic efforts to establish a path toward ending the war.
