German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius want to allocate about €3 billion for arms supplies to Ukraine before the Bundestag elections. However, Olaf Scholzʼs office is blocking these plans.
Spiegel writes about this.
The project has been discussed in the German governmentʼs backrooms for several weeks. The ministries of Baerbock and Pistorius have already begun to formulate a new aid package for Ukraine after the collapse of the German government coalition in November 2024.
At the same time, a list of necessary weapons was drawn up: three additional IRIS-T air defense batteries with ammunition, guided missiles for Patriot, ten wheeled howitzers, and artillery ammunition.
The idea of the ministries was for the federal government to ask the Bundestag’s budget committee for so-called extra-budgetary spending before the new elections. The German government has already used this lever in the past to mobilize additional aid for Ukraine. According to Burbock and Pistorius, such a commitment would be an important signal to Ukraine that German assistance in the field of armaments will not run out.
In their request for additional spending, both ministries argue that Ukraineʼs urgent needs could not have been anticipated in previous plans. They cited the acceleration of the Russian offensive and the loss of important Ukrainian defensive positions. They also cited Donald Trumpʼs victory in the US election and doubts about future US aid to Ukraine.
However, after the start of the year, the plan stalled. According to Spiegel, the chancellery unofficially made it clear to both ministries that it did not support the idea of an additional billion-dollar budget.
Journalists claim that the chancellorʼs office justifies its veto against the €3 billion plan by not wanting to confront the future government with a fait accompli. In addition, Scholzʼs office sees no urgent need for action, emphasizing that Ukraine still has sufficient funds available from Germany for this year.
Social Democratic Party circles believe that Scholz does not want to announce further arms supplies to Ukraine in the midst of a parliamentary election campaign, as this could alienate potential voters.
- Germany is one of the European countries that are leaders in military assistance to Ukraine. In addition to the IRIS-T and Patriot air defense systems, Germany has transferred to the Ukrainian army Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks of various modifications, MARS II and M142 HIMARS MLRS, Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, a large number of armored vehicles and vehicles, etc.
- In September 2024, Olaf Scholz confirmed the order for additional IRIS-T air defense systems for the Bundeswehr and the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This involved 17 IRIS-T systems for Kyiv in addition to the seven that had already been delivered. At the end of December 2024, Germany delivered the new IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine.
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