On September 25, the German parliament‘s lower chamber, the Bundestag, approved a proposal by the German government to increase military support for Ukraine by nearly 400 million euros ($447 million). This decision was made during a meeting under the Ukraine Compact, a security framework signed by 32 allied countries at the NATO summit in July 2024. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
The additional financial aid will allow for the procurement of more air defense systems, tanks, drones, ammunition, and spare parts, effectively strengthening the Ukrainian Armed Forces in defending their country. In addition, Germany announced that it will provide an additional 170 million euros ($190 million) to help restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which has been frequently targeted by Russian attacks.
Initially hesitant, Germany has now become Ukraine’s second-largest military donor after the U.S. since Russia‘s full-scale invasion. However, the aid will reportedly be cut in half to 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in 2025. This is due to budgetary concerns and political complications caused by the recent gains of “anti-war” parties in regional elections.
Germany had hoped that Ukraine would receive $50 billion in profits from frozen Russian assets to make up for the shortfall in assistance. However, delays caused by Hungary have hindered the U.S.’s involvement in the assets scheme. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Germany has allocated 14.7 billion euros ($16.4 billion) in support for Ukraine since 2022.
In conclusion, the German government’s decision to increase military support for Ukraine is a significant step in strengthening the country’s defense against Russian aggression. However, there are still challenges and complications that need to be addressed in order to fully support Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty.
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