Ukraine aid: Budget committee releases another billion

Germany provides a further eleven billion euros as military aid for Ukraine. The Bundestag’s budget committee gave the green light on Friday for a corresponding template from the Federal Ministry of Finance under Jörg Kukies (SPD). For this year, three billion euros are available in addition to the four billion euros planned so far. In addition, the committee approved commitment authorizations of almost 8.3 billion euros for the years 2026 to 2029. This means that contracts for deliveries can now be concluded.

The political groups of Union, SPD, Greens and FDP according to the information for the submission from the Federal Ministry of Finance. AfD, BSW and Linke voted against it.

“This is the right decision with a clear signal (Russia’s President Vladimir) Putin, our allies and Ukraine,” said SPD housekeeper Andreas Schwarz to Reuters. “You can rely on Germany, and the Ukrainian struggle for freedom deserves our full support.” Green parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann showed “relieved” about the release of the billions of dollars. This is “a strong signal to Ukraine – a signal that is imperative for peace and security in Europe,” said Haßelmann of the AFP news agency.

The additional funds had been applied for by the Ministry of Defense in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office. The money is necessary because the “serious danger is that Ukraine is subject to their defense fight without significantly increased material support,” the committee says.

In detail, Kukies approves an over -planned issue of 2.547 billion euros this year. Together with backflows from other financial pots, the available funds amount to three billion euros.

The additional support package for Ukraine has been discussed for months, but the traffic light coalition was unable to agree on financing before its break. The further Ukraine aid for the current year was primarily requested by the Greens as well as Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). The Chancellery under Scholz had blocked the project. Scholz was also for the help, but insisted that this could only be financed with an exception to the debt brake, unless it should be shortened elsewhere. This exception is now, since after the Bundestag on Friday the Federal Council also approved the amendments to the Basic Law for the billion-dollar debt package agreed by the Union and the SPD on Friday.

According to the Federal Government, the released funds are to be bought, among other things, steering aircraft, surveillance radar, educational drones, protected combat vehicles, hand weapons and “diverse additional equipment”. The first deliveries should start soon. The types of Iris-T and Patriot are also to be ordered. However, these still have to be produced, two years could pass by delivery.