The visit also brought a support package worth more than €1.3 billion, including about €1 billion in military aid and about €350 million for Ukraine’s energy sector ahead of winter. Berlin plans to supply 1,000 newly developed interceptor systems to destroy jet-powered Shahed drones. Zelensky said air defense was a critical need.
Russian forces struck Kyiv’s Northern Bridge again during Merz’s visit, damaging the roadway and halting traffic toward the right bank of the Dnipro, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Zelensky said Russia launched 135 attack drones against Ukraine overnight, more than 50 of them jet-powered.