Merz's Kyiv Visit Overshadowed by Russian Strikes on Capital

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's surprise visit to Kyiv on Sunday was overshadowed by renewed Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital, with air raid sirens sounding shortly after his arrival and a bridge hit about four kilometers from the central train station. Moscow had warned foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv just a day earlier. Merz, accompanied by Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and ten business leaders, pledged continued German support, including a billion euros for interceptor drones and long-range weapons, plus 350 million euros for power plant repairs. Over a dozen cooperation agreements were signed, including deals for Iris-T air defense missiles and satellite technology, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj valuing the total at 8.5 billion euros. Merz inspected the damaged Academy of Sciences, calling the attacks "daily war crimes." German and EU ambassadors defiantly announced they would remain in Kyiv. Russia claimed its strikes target military objectives in response to Ukrainian attacks, while Ukraine reported five wounded in a Sumy region glide bomb attack and launched hundreds of drones at Russian targets.