Zelenskyy visits Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Merz
By Vera, Vocemundi ·
By Vera, Vocemundi · 2026-11-03
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Deutsche Welle (DW) and Anadolu Agency both report the visit.
According to DW, Merz announced the visit, which was set for Tuesday, 3 November 2026. DW reported that Merz told Berlin's Chamber of Commerce and Industry he expected to meet Zelenskyy around midday. The visit had been kept under wraps for security reasons, according to DW.
The visit coincides with the opening of the two-day Berlin Security Conference, DW reported. The forum brings together European officials and defense experts. Russia's war in Ukraine is high on its agenda.
Support expected to be the focus
According to DW, military and financial support is expected to be a focus of the talks. Ukraine is seeking more missiles to defend against Russian ballistic strikes, including for systems such as the US-made Patriot.
Ukraine is also asking European governments for an additional €70 billion ($78 billion) in funding next year, DW reported. Zelenskyy set out these needs at an EU summit in October. How to raise the money is expected to come up at future EU meetings on the bloc's long-term budget.
DW also reported that Berlin plans to host a summit of countries backing Ukraine later this month. It is meant to discuss further support ahead of winter.
Security in Berlin
Around 3,400 additional police officers from across Germany were deployed for the visit and the conference, according to DW. Parts of the government district were cordoned off. Armed officers were present, and police special units deployed snipers. Roads were closed in western Berlin, including near the Kurfürstendamm.
Diplomacy elsewhere
Shortly before Zelenskyy's expected arrival, US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced that advisers from Ukraine, Russia and the United States would meet in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November, according to DW. The talks are to cover postwar security, steps to reduce tensions and humanitarian aid.
US envoys are also due to discuss security guarantees and reconstruction with European and NATO representatives in Brussels this week, DW reported. Berlin expects European representatives to be present in Abu Dhabi. According to DW, they are unlikely to have a seat at the negotiating table.
What each side says
- German government: Germany has already supplied the Patriot systems it says it can spare without weakening its own air defenses, according to DW.
- Ukrainian government: Ukraine needs an additional €70 billion from European governments next year and more air-defense missiles, according to DW.
- Steve Witkoff, US special envoy: Advisers from Ukraine, Russia and the US will meet in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November, according to DW.
What the reports do not include
The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe the outcome of the talks or any agreements. They do not include direct statements from Zelenskyy about the visit. They do not specify how many missiles Ukraine is requesting or what Germany might offer. They do not include a Russian response to the Abu Dhabi meeting, or a date for the planned Berlin summit. Anadolu Agency's report was available only as a headline and summary. All details beyond the visit itself rest on DW alone.
Analysis
The visit comes as diplomacy appears to be moving on several tracks at once: bilateral talks in Berlin, a security conference, meetings in Brussels and planned talks in Abu Dhabi. One open question is how Germany responds to Ukraine's request for more air-defense missiles, given Berlin's stated limits on sparing Patriot systems. Another is how Europe will raise the €70 billion Ukraine is seeking. If European representatives are present in Abu Dhabi but not at the table, their influence over any outcome may depend on parallel channels such as the Brussels meetings. None of these outcomes is settled.
Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.
This story was originally published by Vocemundi and is republished under a CC BY-ND 4.0 license. How we verified this story.
Originally published by Vocemundi Wire — English