BERLIN, Germany: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Sunday on an unannounced visit in a show of support for the country in its war with Russia.
“I travelled to Kyiv today because Ukraine needs all our support in the coming weeks,” Merz said in a statement issued after his arrival. “If Russia is not stopped, its war machine will sooner or later turn against us.”
Merz, whose country is among Ukraine’s largest supporters, has been joined on the trip by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, according to government sources.
“Today, I will tell President [Volodymyr] Zelensky: ‘You can continue to count on our help,’” Merz said in the statement, which also touted cooperation between German and Ukrainian companies.
The German chancellor’s visit comes just a day after Russia warned foreigners and diplomats to leave the Ukrainian capital, saying that “massive” new airstrikes would hit the city.
The Russian foreign ministry declared in a statement that “responsibility for any potential negative consequences rests entirely with those who ignore this warning”.
Moscow had issued a similar warning in May, but leaders from countries supporting Ukraine have defied the Russian warnings and continued to make visits.
Kyiv has faced heavy airstrikes, with Ukrainian officials issuing pleas for additional air defence munitions to counter Russian drone and missile attacks.
In recent days, Russia has attacked several bridges across the Dnieper river as well as energy infrastructure, and the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, on Friday said that Kyiv was in a “very dramatic situation”.
