German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv and pledged continued support for Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported another wave of Russian drone attacks.
Ukraine faces decisive weeks, Merz wrote on X.
“You can rely on us.”
Merz said Germany’s security also depends on the war’s outcome and that supporting Ukraine serves his country’s own interests.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Germany were preparing decisions aimed at strengthening the defenses of Ukraine and Europe. He also announced that the two countries would reach important agreements but provided no details.
In another post from Merz, the chancellor described Germany as a reliable partner that stands with Ukraine “even in difficult times.”
During the visit, Merz and Zelenskyy went to the National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv. A Russian drone strike there killed two people and injured seven, according to Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy alleged that the academy was deliberately targeted and said video footage supported his assertion. The claim and reported casualties could not be independently verified.
The Ukrainian president thanked Merz for visiting the site despite an air raid alert. He called the visit a courageous signal from the chancellor and Germany.
Earlier, Zelenskyy reported that a Russian drone had struck Kyiv’s Pivnichnyi Bridge that morning. He said drones also hit a pharmaceutical warehouse in Sumy, killing one person, and a communications facility in Dnipro. Six people were injured in the attacks, according to his post.
Russia launched 135 attack drones overnight, including more than 50 jet-powered drones, Zelenskyy said. He reported attacks in Kyiv and the Dnipro, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions, with power outages in some communities.
Zelenskyy also claimed that Russia used more than 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs and 25 missiles against Ukraine during the week. More than 800 of the drones were jet-powered, he said.
The attack figures could not be independently verified.
