Germany, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is on the verge of doubling military assistance to Ukraine, with the governing coalition expressing preliminary agreement to raise the aid to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion) next year, as disclosed by a political source in Berlin on Sunday.
Pending parliamentary approval, where Scholz’s majority parties reside, this increase would propel Germany’s defense spending beyond the 2% NATO commitment, reaching 2.1% of its gross domestic product target.
Lawmakers from Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Free Democrats, and the Green party reached consensus on this increment during negotiations for the proposed 2024 federal budget, preceding a formal meeting of the Bundestag budget committee on Thursday, Nov. 16, according to the source.
Bloomberg News initially reported this development on Saturday, citing informed sources. A spokesperson for Germany’s Ministry of Defence noted that the Bundestag committee’s negotiations are ongoing, declining to elaborate further.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, in an interview with broadcaster ARD, underscored the planned doubling of military aid to Ukraine as a robust signal, assuring that the agreed move would cover the entire year’s budget allocation.
Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper also indicated that the committee is poised to approve an additional 4 billion euros.
Member of parliament Andreas Schwarz, acting as an SPD military budget official, emphasized the appropriateness and importance of doubling military spending. He stated that this decision aligns with their commitment to Ukraine, providing necessary funds and marking a significant success for the coalition in fulfilling NATO obligations.
In contrast, a European Union plan to allocate up to 20 billion euros ($21 billion) for military aid to Ukraine is encountering resistance from certain EU countries, as reported by diplomats this week.
