Germany will send Ukraine new air defense aid packages this month as Kyiv faces a sharp increase in Russian drone attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
“There will be new air defense packages from Germany this month,” Zelensky said after speaking with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The announcement comes as Russia has stepped up its aerial campaign against Ukraine, with Russian forces launching around 1,500 drones over four days at the end of August, including roughly 800 jet-powered Shahed drones.
The surge is putting additional pressure on Ukraine’s air defense network as Kyiv heads into the autumn and winter months, when Russia has repeatedly targeted critical infrastructure and energy facilities.
Germany steps up support
Zelensky said he and Merz also discussed Russia’s attempted attack involving an explosive-laden drone at a strategic airport in Leipzig.
Merz briefed Zelensky on measures Germany has taken in response to the incident, while the Zelensky offered Kyiv’s assistance based on Ukraine’s experience in countering Russian drone warfare.
Germany has been one of Ukraine’s key air defense supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, supplying systems including Patriot and IRIS-T.
The two leaders also discussed a planned Drone Deal between Germany and Ukraine. Zelensky said teams from both countries were finalizing the agreement, which he said would strengthen the defense capabilities of both countries.
The deal is expected to deepen cooperation in drone production and technology as both Germany and other European countries seek to draw on Ukraine’s battlefield experience.
Zelensky and Merz also agreed to meet in person, according to Zelensky.
The latest German commitment comes as Ukraine prepares for what officials fear could be another difficult autumn and winter, with Russia increasingly relying on large-scale drone barrages to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and strike targets across the country.