The German government is debating further supplies of German weapons to Ukraine: Olaf Scholz's office is still putting the brakes on the plans, which are approved by Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock (Greens) and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD).
Transmits UNN with reference to Der Spiegel.
According to a German newspaper, Foreign Minister Burbock and Defense Minister Pistorius want to provide Ukraine with a new billion-dollar arms aid. Government officials want to mobilize an additional budget of about three billion euros for urgently needed additional arms supplies to Ukraine before the February 23 federal elections.
However, Olaf Scholz's office is slowing down plans for additional military aid. There has been controversy on the sidelines for several weeks now.
There has been controversy over this project on the sidelines for several weeks. The Burbock and Pistorius ministries have begun to formulate a new aid package for Ukraine, although this start of preparations took place after the Svitlofor coalition collapsed in November 2024.
Military experts from the Ukrainian headquarters of the Ministry of Defense have compiled a list of urgently needed weapons systems, including three additional Iris-T air defense batteries with ammunition, more Patriot guided missiles, ten wheeled howitzers and more artillery ammunition. - the publication writes.
It also explains how this would be possible:
The federal government has asked the Bundestag's budget committee for so-called “above-budget” spending from Section 60 before the new elections.
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In the past, the German government has already used this leverage to mobilize additional aid for Ukraine. This year, too, such a commitment would send an important signal to Ukraine that German arms assistance will not run out.
But there are other aspects:
The urgent needs of Ukraine were not foreseen in the preliminary planning.
Germany takes into account the significant acceleration of the Russian advance and the “loss of important Ukrainian defense positions” that, according to Spiegel , “have significantly worsened the military situation in Ukraine in recent months.
After Donald Trump's election victory, it is unclear whether the United States will continue to provide military support to Ukraine after he takes office on January 20, the publication adds.
It's a weighty piece of equipment:
At the end of the year , Scholz's office informally informed both chambers that it did not support the idea of a billion-euro supplementary budget.
The chancellor's office justifies its veto of the three billion euro plan by saying that it does not want to put the future federal government in front of a fait accompli. In addition, Scholz's office sees no urgent need for action.
For this year, Ukraine still has sufficient funds available from Germany, the statement said. The preliminary budget for 2025 provides about 4 billion euros for military aid; Ukraine can also benefit from another loan bank - a 50 billion euro loan provided by the G7 countries, financed by proceeds from frozen Russian state assets.
As of now, the ministries involved have not yet officially commented on the dispute over new aid to Ukraine from Germany.
Recall
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