Berlin denies report
Federal Government: Ukraine continues to receive military aid
19.08.2024, 13:17
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According to a report, Berlin wants to limit military aid to Ukraine. This is false information, stresses government spokesman Büchner. From 2025, however, the funding is to be more international. Büchner calls another allegation “infamous”.
The German government has rejected claims that military aid to Ukraine should be restricted or capped for financial reasons. “We will continue the aid as long as it is necessary,” said deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner in Berlin. The background to this is a newspaper report according to which no more budget funds will be available for aid next year beyond the four billion euros already planned.
The “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” (FAS) reported on Sunday that no new money would be available for Ukraine from now on. Already approved material would mostly still be delivered, but additional applications from the Ministry of Defense would no longer be approved at the request of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, it said. The reason for this was austerity measures by the Chancellery and the Ministry of Finance. Funds for Ukraine amounting to around eight billion euros have already been earmarked for the current year. The planned maximum limit for next year is four billion euros and has apparently already been overbooked.
Ukraine receives IRIS-T air defence system
“End of the event. The pot is empty,” a contact in the federal government is said to have told FAS. What is more correct is that “nothing will change in our commitment and our determination,” said Büchner. The government spokesman called speculation that the government wanted to send a signal before the state elections in East Germany that aid payments to Ukraine would be limited “infamous.” It is an insinuation to claim that Ukraine should receive less support “because of some domestic political aspect.”
Büchner also denied the claim that Germany cannot deliver the promised Iris-T air defense systems to Ukraine. According to the FAS, an IRIS-T air defense system is ready for delivery because a customer of the German manufacturer Diehl Defense does not want the device. However, the money was not approved against the will of Defense Minister Pistorius. This is wrong, stressed both the government spokesman and a spokesman for the Defense Ministry.
50 billion loan for Ukraine
The German government expects that a loan of 50 billion US dollars will be made available by international partners next year to finance Ukraine. This was decided by the heads of state and government of the seven leading western industrial nations in July, says Büchner. This should be put in place before the end of 2024.
A spokesman for the FDP-led finance ministry expressed a similar view: “We continue to stand by Ukraine.” This applies as long as the government in Kiev needs help in its defensive fight against Russia. From 2025, financing should be more international than before. There are very intensive discussions on this, which are well underway.
