Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday and met President Volodymyr Zelensky. He was accompanied by chief executives of German defence companies. Ukraine and Germany signed 14 documents on cooperation in defence, energy, drone production and the development of the defence industry.
Süddeutsche Zeitung said the trip was more than symbolic, noting that Merz promised new military aid Ukraine urgently needs before its fifth winter of war. It also described the visit as an attempt to get out of political defensiveness, with the governing coalition's prospects "as uncertain as never before".
Die Welt commentator Gordon Repinski acknowledged that Merz had made many mistakes in the autumn, becoming Germany's least popular chancellor ever, but argued he must remain in office because of the threat from Russia. He said Merz had not retreated "by a millimetre" on Ukraine despite the AfD's electoral successes. "In short – Mr Merz, thank you", he wrote.
Repinski warned that if the government fell and early elections followed, pressure to cut aid would grow sharply and other countries could follow Germany's lead. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said Russian President Vladimir Putin's main aim was to cut Ukraine off from European support, and that Germany is its largest donor.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said on X that public opposition to billions in aid for Ukraine was growing, yet the chancellor "continues to give away German taxpayers' money". "The AfD will put an end to this and make sure Germany does not become a party to the war", she added.
AfD foreign policy spokesman Markus Frohnmaier mocked the timing of the trip, as Merz left on Saturday, German Unity Day. Merz has repeatedly accused the AfD, which leads national polls, of echoing Russian efforts to divide German society and weaken support for Ukraine.
Roderich Kiesewetter, a Christian Democrat lawmaker specialising in foreign affairs, told Deutschlandfunk that helping Ukraine "is not charity" but serves Germany's security. He said Berlin had assumed for too long that Russia wanted negotiations, when the Kremlin "wants this war".
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Source: PAP