Germany's conservative opposition leader traveled to Kyiv on Tuesday for meetings with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Merz, who heads former Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc——Christian Democratic Union (CDU), visited the town of Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in a tweet that he also met with Merz, stressing the importance of strengthening sanctions and supporting Ukraine’s candidate status for EU membership.

(With input from agencies)