Russia’s war of aggression: Baerbock warns against reducing German aid to Ukraine

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warns of a significant reduction in Germany’s financial support for arms deliveries to Ukraine. The Green politician said on the sidelines of a Syria conference in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh that the federal government had provided almost seven billion euros for this last year. If only half or a little over half is now provided, that means that Ukraine will be less able to defend itself. There must continue to be great support for Ukraine.

The “Spiegel” had reported that the federal government was arguing about further German arms deliveries to Ukraine. Accordingly, Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) wanted to mobilize an additional budget of around three billion euros for urgently needed further arms deliveries to Ukraine before the federal election on February 23rd. However, the Chancellery of Olaf Scholz (SPD) is putting the brakes on the plans for additional military aid – according to “Spiegel”, the Chancellery justifies this by saying that it does not want to present the future federal government with a fait accompli.

When asked about the report, Scholz referred to the collapse of the traffic light government and the upcoming Bundestag elections in the ARD “Tagesthemen”. A government spokeswoman said on Friday that military aid for Ukraine was an ongoing issue within the federal government. We are currently in the process of voting within the government.

After the end of the traffic light coalition, there is currently no federal budget for 2025; provisional budget management based on the traffic light draft applies. Four billion euros were earmarked for aid to Ukraine.

Scholz pointed out on ARD that 12.5 billion euros were missing from the traffic light’s draft budget. “And if you want to spend an additional three billion, which is what I proposed, 15.5 (billion) that will not be financed unless you make a decision to raise additional funds.” Scholz wanted to suspend the debt brake, which the FDP rejected. The FDP proposed in the coalition that this should be financed at the expense of pensioners, municipalities and at the expense of many other services, criticized the Chancellor. He thought that was wrong.

Baerbock said in Riyadh that Russian President Vladimir Putin not only wants to advance further in Ukraine and thus destroy infrastructure and human lives – but he is also directing attacks on Europe. It can’t be a coincidence that submarine cables have been “broken” in the Baltic Sea in recent months.

Baerbock also referred to the accident of an oil tanker that belonged to the so-called Russian shadow fleet. “This so-called shadow fleet is sanctioned. It is actually not allowed to sail at all and it has been accepted that accidents will occur.” There are scrap ships that are traveling there. “Also in view of the fact that an oil disaster would of course massively endanger small Baltic countries in particular, but also tourism in Poland and here in Germany. And against this background, the entire Ukraine support is also the best protection for our own security Europe, for our security in Germany.”