German Chancellor Merz seeks more air defense systems for Ukraine

September 29, 2026 at 11:20 PM1 min

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on September 29 that Berlin is in intensive talks with European partners to increase air defense supplies for Ukraine. He called air defense Ukraine's weakest point and said he is personally negotiating with world leaders. The consultations are part of preparations for the European Council meeting on October 15-16 in Brussels.

Key Facts

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on September 29 that Berlin is in intensive talks with European partners to increase air defense supplies for Ukraine.
Merz called air defense Ukraine's weakest point and said he is personally negotiating with world leaders on the issue.
The consultations are part of preparations for the European Council meeting scheduled for October 15-16 in Brussels.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated a shortfall of about $27 billion in military spending.

Air Defense Talks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on September 29 that Germany is conducting intensive consultations with European partners to strengthen air defense support for Ukraine. He described air defense as Ukraine's weakest point and said he is personally negotiating with a number of heads of state and government. Merz made the remarks during a press conference in Berlin with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He said the talks are part of preparations for the European Council meeting on October 15-16 in Brussels.

Winter Energy Concerns

Merz expressed hope that Ukraine's energy supply can be prepared for winter amid continued Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure. He called the daily attacks on civilian infrastructure war crimes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated a shortfall of about $27 billion in military spending.

Tokayev Meeting

Merz said the war between Russia and Ukraine was discussed intensively during his meeting with Tokayev. He thanked Tokayev for speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war.