BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Kiev at the invitation of President Petro Poroshenko on Saturday — a clear sign of support for Berlin’s eastern neighbor in its confrontation with Russia.

Steffen Seibert, Merkel’s spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday the chancellor would hold talks with Poroshenko and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. An exchange with mayors of Ukrainian towns is also planned.