Merz in Kyiv as Russia warns of massive airstrikes — SkimNews
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- Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on October 4, 2026, on an unannounced trip, declaring: 'If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us' and promising continued German support
- Russia warned foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv on Saturday, pledging 'massive' new airstrikes, after recent attacks on several bridges across the Dnipro river caused traffic gridlock and transport disruption
- Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital, far from the front line, is in a 'very dramatic situation' and should be on a war footing as Russian missiles and drones target energy infrastructure vital for heating
- Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga met Merz off the train and said talks with Zelenskyy would cover 'bilateral, European, and international agenda,' with Economy Minister Katherina Reiche accompanying the chancellor
- Merz used the visit to call for unity within NATO, Europe, and his own coalition as the Moscow-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) opposition rises
- Kyiv has repeatedly pleaded for additional air-defence munitions to counter Russian drone and missile attacks, a request Merz makes this military aid a focal point of his talks
Why it matters: Russia's targeting of Kyiv's energy infrastructure ahead of winter and its attacks on Dnipro river bridges have pushed the capital — far from frontline fighting — onto a war footing, making Merz's in-person pledge of continued arms and air-defence support politically consequential amid Germany's domestic pressure from the rising AfD party.
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