Germany pledges over €1.3 billion for Ukrainian weapons and energy ahead of winter
Germany has pledged more than €1.3 billion in new military and energy support for Ukraine, including hundreds of millions of euros to shore up the country's power system ahead of winter as Russian attacks continue to target energy infrastructure.
The package was announced during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to Kyiv on Oct. 4, when the two countries signed 15 agreements and documents covering security cooperation, defense production, procurement and joint projects in Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said strengthening Ukraine's air defenses was a central focus of his talks with Merz. The two sides also signed a separate agreement on cooperation and new capabilities to counter attack drones.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal later said Germany would provide more than €557 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. Including additional assistance expected shortly, Germany's total contribution to the fund is set to exceed €800 million.
Kyiv and Berlin are seeking cooperation on distributed and flexible power generation, energy storage, modernization of electricity grids and substations, gas infrastructure and protection of critical energy facilities, Shmyhal said.
Germany also plans to provide €50 million toward restoring the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.
The two governments also discussed supplies of liquefied natural gas through German infrastructure and possible participation by European companies in using Ukraine's underground gas storage facilities.
Zelenskyy said agreements signed during the German delegation's visit were worth more than €8.5 billion in total.