Merz visits Kyiv, pledges thousands of interceptor drones to Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Sunday with a pledge to deliver thousands of interceptor drones to Ukraine's armed forces, warning that if Russia is not stopped, its war machine will eventually turn against Europe. Merz, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, plans to promise rapid delivery of the drones, which are designed to counter Russia's fast jet-propelled combat drones. Germany is also accelerating production of long-range weapons to strike Russian supply lines, allocating one billion euros from approved budget credits plus 350 million euros for repairing destroyed power plants. Moscow has stated its forces will continue conducting "massive retaliatory strikes" against the Ukrainian capital, underscoring the ongoing escalation as Germany reinforces its position as one of Ukraine's largest supporters in the conflict.