The government’s intentions to reduce support for Kyiv against the backdrop of its offensive have drawn criticism from various German political forces.
German politicians have sharply criticized the government over Finance Minister Christian Lindner’s call to veto military aid for Ukraine next year. The Financial Times reported this on Monday, August 19.
The publication notes that Germany is the largest military donor after the United States. This year alone it will provide around 7.5 billion euros in military aid.
“Budget pressure means that this number will decrease: the draft government budget for 2025 provides for the allocation of 4 billion euros,” the journalists noted.
On August 19, the government rejected an immediate cut in aid to Ukraine, noting that funding discussions were still ongoing. Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under growing pressure to reassure members of the Social Democratic Party who are critical of more aid to Ukrainians.
The head of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, Social Democrat Michael Roth, called the decision to cut aid a “fatal signal.”
“The Ukrainian army went on the offensive for the first time in many months. The country now needs the full support of its most important military ally in Europe – Germany. At the same time, the debate about future funding for military aid looks like a disguised abrogation of responsibility from Germany We cannot put our security depending on budgetary restrictions,” he said angrily.
The head of the Germany-Ukraine parliamentary group, Green Party politician Robin Wagener, also criticized this idea: “It seems that we are talking about sacrificing peace and freedom, but staying debt-free.”
Former Colonel Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said the restrictions “de facto mean that Ukraine will be abandoned.” “No self-proclaimed leading European country is doing this,” he told Der Tagesspiegel.
Earlier, it was reported that the current budget planning of the German federal government does not provide for the allocation of new funds to support Ukraine. The opposition is talking about a financial freeze and, subsequently, military support for Kyiv.
The German government denied these rumors, saying that by the end of 2024, as well as next year, Germany plans to transfer several more air defense systems, tanks, self-propelled guns and ammunition in Ukraine.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to publications about the reduction of German aid, stressing that Germany remains “the biggest fan of Ukraine in Europe.”
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.