Germany Boosts Ukraine Support: €1B Aid and Joint Drone Production Announced
Germany's New Military Aid and Defense Collaboration with Ukraine
By Andreas Rinke and Felix Hoske
Chancellor Merz's Visit to Kyiv
KYIV, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, accompanied by CEOs from German defence companies, in a show of support for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy amid escalating Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Announcement of Aid Package
Merz will announce a package of measures that includes the release €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for repairs in the energy sector, German government officials said. The visit is also expected to finalize a deal for joint production of various kinds of drones.
Statements from Chancellor Merz
"I travelled to Kyiv today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks," Merz said, saying that Russian forces were bombing towns, residential buildings and heating plants. "If Russia is not stopped, sooner or later its war machine will turn against us."
"I will tell President Zelenskiy today: 'You can continue to count on our help,'" Merz added.
German Delegation and Economic Cooperation
The German chancellor is accompanied by Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche and an economic delegation including executives from Siemens Energy, Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, Quantum Systems and other firms.
Focus on Ukrainian Reforms
Merz is also expected to press the Ukrainian government for progress on reforms requested by EU partners, including in the fight against corruption.
Joint Drone Production and Defense Technology
Zelenskiy said on Wednesday, after speaking to Merz by phone, that Ukraine would soon finalise the deal with Germany for the production of drones, missiles and related software.
Development of Anti-Jet Drones
A key focus is expected to be the rapid production of anti-jet drones, which Quantum, a German defence-technology company, has successfully tested. Since the summer, Russia has used dozens of high-speed jet attack drones daily to target civilian and military infrastructure.
Quantum WIY Industries Joint Venture
In April, Quantum and Ukrainian manufacturer WIY Drones announced the creation of Quantum WIY Industries, a joint venture to produce the Strila interceptor drone and related air-defence technologies.
Long-Range Weapons Development
The deal also involves the joint development and production of weapons with a range of more than 1,000 km (600 miles) that Ukraine can use to launch attacks deep inside Russia.
Economic and Security Impact
Government officials said the increased cooperation would allow money and technology to flow back to the Federal Republic, where weapons are produced and defences against drones targeting critical infrastructure can be strengthened.
Reactions and Ongoing Conflict
On Thursday, Merz said Germany would not be intimidated by the rising number of hybrid attacks by Russia on European states.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that 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 travelling to Ukraine.
Zelenskiy told Reuters on Saturday his country'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.
($1 = 0.8887 euros)
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Felix Hoske; Editing by Daniel Flynn and William Mallard)
