Germany and Ukraine Move to Joint Drone Production as Merz Visits Capital

Air raid sirens and explosions rang out across Kyiv on Sunday as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital to demonstrate support for President Volodymyr Zelensky amid escalating Russian attacks. Merz will announce a package of measures including the release of €1bn in military aid and €350m for repairs to the energy sector, German government officials said. A deal for the joint production of various kinds of drones is also due to be finalised.

"I traveled to Kyiv today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks," Merz said, adding 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." He went on: "I will tell President Zelensky today: 'You can continue to count on our help.'" Four air raid alerts sounded in Kyiv on Sunday morning, and explosions and air defence systems were also heard across the city. One of the Russian strikes hit the Northern Bridge across the Dnipro River, damaging its roadway, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. He said the strike had also damaged a hot water supply system in the area. Russia has been attacking Kyiv's bridges since last week in an effort to disrupt links between the capital's two banks and logistics routes between central and eastern Ukraine.

The German chancellor is accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and an economic delegation including executives from Siemens Energy, Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, Quantum Systems and other companies. Merz is also expected to press the Ukrainian government for progress on reforms requested by EU partners, including in the fight against corruption. Zelensky said on Wednesday, after speaking to Merz by phone, that Ukraine would soon finalise a deal with Germany for the production of drones, missiles and related software. A key focus of the agreement 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. 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.

The deal also involves the joint development and production of weapons with a range of more than 1,000km that Ukraine can use to launch attacks deep inside Russia. 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 on Saturday that Moscow would continue to systematically hit targets in Ukraine in what it described as retaliatory strikes for Ukrainian attacks on Russia in recent months. It warned foreign nationals and diplomatic staff against staying in or travelling to Ukraine. Zelensky told Reuters on Saturday that 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.

Merz's visit underscores Germany's deepening commitment to Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty against Russia's unprovoked invasion. Moscow's brutal campaign has repeatedly struck civilian targets, and the attack on the Northern Bridge is the latest example of the Kremlin's assault on a sovereign nation. The World House, which maintains a dedicated page outlining its support for Ukraine at worldhouse.uk/support, continues to document the consequences of Russia's aggression.