Germany announces $1.46 billion in aid for Ukraine, including interceptor drones

Germany on Oct. 4 announced a new support package worth more than €1.3 billion ($1.46 billion) for Ukraine, including funding for interceptor drones and energy assistance.

The package was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a joint press conference in Kyiv.

Zelensky said the package included weapons needed immediately, support for Ukraine's energy sector, and funding to produce new interceptors specifically designed to counter Russia's jet-powered attack drones.  

"These are weapons that will help now, support for our energy sector — this is very important," Zelensky said.

The package includes €1 billion ($1.13 billion) in military aid, including financing the production of interceptor drones capable of countering Russian jet-powered weapons, Merz said.

Additionally, the chancellor announced around €350 million ($394 million) in energy assistance, including support for generators and repairs to infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks.

"This will quickly and noticeably strengthen Ukraine's air defense, and this reinforcement is urgently needed," Merz said.

He added that the energy package was intended to mitigate the impact of Russian attacks on Ukraine's power infrastructure ahead of winter.

Earlier in the day, Merz visited the National Academy of Sciences building in central Kyiv, which was damaged in a Russian drone strike on Sept. 28.

"Mr. Putin, stop this senseless war," Merz said during the visit, according to dpa. "We are ready for talks, we are ready to speak with one another about ending this war. But these barbaric attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine must stop."

The announcements come as Russia continues to terrorize Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure with jet-powered attack drones. "Just this week, Russia has used more than 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 25 missiles against Ukraine. More than 800 of the drones were jet-powered," Zelensky said.

Zelensky described air defense as Ukraine's current "number one priority," saying he and Merz had discussed additional measures the two countries could take together.  

Germany and Ukraine have also expanded joint defense production. In May, Berlin and Kyiv launched "Brave Germany," a joint initiative backed by Ukraine's Brave1 defense-tech platform to support Ukrainian and German defense companies and accelerate development of new military technologies.

The new package was announced during Merz's visit to Kyiv on Oct. 4, where he arrived with German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and executives from the country's defense and energy sectors.