Baerbock Urges Continued German Military Support for Ukraine Amid Budget Dispute
The German foreign minister warns that reduced funding for Ukraine's defense could compromise European security, as Chancellor Scholz blocks a proposed €3 billion aid package.
- Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for maintaining robust military aid to Ukraine, emphasizing its importance for European and German security.
- The German government provided €7 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024, but the proposed 2025 budget allocates only €4 billion, sparking internal disagreements.
- Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pushed for an additional €3 billion in urgent weapons funding before the February 23 Bundestag election, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has opposed the plan.
- Scholz cited financial constraints and the lack of a finalized 2025 federal budget, as well as concerns about committing future governments to significant expenditures.
- Baerbock highlighted recent Russian threats, including attacks on undersea cables and the use of substandard oil tankers, as further justification for sustained support to Ukraine.
Süddeutsche Zeitung 
Der Tagesspiegel 
DER SPIEGEL 
Stern 
Preußische Allgemeine Zeitung 
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 