Support for Ukraine: Scholz rules out cuts to Ukraine aid

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) rejects cuts elsewhere to finance further arms deliveries to Ukraine. “I’m against us getting this from the pensions, I’m against us doing it through cuts to the municipalities, I’m against us investing less money in railways and roads,” he said on the sidelines of a campaign event in Bielefeld. “So you have to finance it separately.” There was sharp criticism of this argument from the Greens.

However, Scholz pointed out that there was no majority for the financing he proposed by suspending the debt brake. The traffic light coalition ultimately collapsed because it was unable to reach an agreement in the dispute over the 2025 budget.

The “Spiegel” reported last week that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) wanted to mobilize around three billion euros for further arms deliveries to Ukraine before the federal election on February 23rd.

“If you do that, you also have to say where the money comes from,” said Scholz. His Defense Minister Pistorius declared in the “Tagesspiegel” on Sunday that there was no blockade of the Chancellery. “We have prepared a new aid package for Ukraine in the Ministry of Defense. This must now be decided politically – as soon as all questions have been clarified, I expect a corresponding decision.”

Green Party leader Felix Banasazk reacted sharply and spoke of “irresponsible escalations”, but was referring more to the SPD than to Scholz specifically. It is possible to simultaneously support Ukraine with what is necessary and to ensure that Germany and Europe are capable of defending themselves “and to finance pensions, daycare places, whatever,” he said in Berlin. The funds would have to be financed across the entire budget. This would restrict scope elsewhere.