German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is reported to have blocked a proposal for an additional €3 billion support package for Ukraine, intended for the purchase of weapons.
According to the news outlet Spiegel, which published the information, the aid package plan was proposed by Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a member of the Greens, and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, a member of Chancellor Scholz’s Social Democratic Party.
The goal of the package was to provide Ukraine with critical weaponry, including three additional Iris-T air defense systems, ten howitzers, and more artillery ammunition.
The aid package was reportedly designed immediately after the collapse of the coalition government in November. Baerbock and Pistorius attempted to secure parliamentary approval for the funding before the early federal elections in February.
Their ministries justified the request by referencing the deterioration of Ukrainian military forces, which is further exacerbated by doubts regarding future U.S. support for Ukraine, especially after the election of Donald Trump.
Despite efforts to present the plan as vital support for Ukraine, Chancellor Scholz refused to back it, emphasizing that the existing military aid funds—€4 billion for 2025, along with funding from the €49 billion G7 loan, sourced from frozen Russian assets—are sufficient.
According to Spiegel, the Chancellor reportedly expressed concerns about the next government’s commitment to significant financial obligations after the elections.
Despite Scholz’s “no,” Pistorius confirmed Germany’s broader commitments during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting held at the U.S. Air Force base in Ramstein on Thursday, as reported by Politico.
Pistorius announced that Germany would supply around 50 guided missiles for the IRIS-T air defense systems. The missiles, initially intended for the German armed forces, were redirected to Ukraine directly from production.
“We will supply Ukraine first before replenishing our own stocks,” said Pistorius, reassuring that Ukraine can continue to rely on Germany, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming elections.
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