Germany stresses commitment to Ukraine aid despite budget cuts

 

Rescuers assist a woman who fainted outside a destroyed house of a relative who died following a strike in the town of Bilopillya, near the Russian border in the Sumy region, on August 18, 2024. [AFP]

Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted Monday that Germany would maintain support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, despite plans to halve the budget for helping Kyiv in 2025.

"Germany is and remains the strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe," Scholz said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Germany has been the second largest contributor of aid to Ukraine after the United States.

Government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner said earlier that "reporting that insinuates we are cutting back on aid is simply inaccurate". He added that Germany was "fully committed" to supporting Ukraine "for as long as necessary".

Germany's 2025 budget has been the subject of a protracted row between the three parties in Scholz's ruling coalition.

Liberal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has asked other ministries to make savings to respect a constitutional rule that aims to prevent the state from taking on too much debt.

The latest draft includes around four billion euros ($4.4 billion) for Ukraine next year, compared with around eight billion euros in 2024.

To make up for the shortfall, the government has said it will bank on plans by the G7 and the European Union to generate funds from frozen Russian assets.

In June, G7 leaders agreed to a $50 billion loan for Ukraine using profits from the frozen assets.

"Ukraine will be able to buy weapons on a large scale" with that funding, Scholz said, adding that Kyiv could "count on" this support.

More budget talks will be held before it is adopted by the end of the year and the finance ministry said Saturday it was open to considering extra spending for Ukraine on a case-by-case basis.

Buechner on Monday said Germany will "continue to provide aid as long as it is necessary" and insisted Germany's "commitment and determination (to support Ukraine) will not change".

"We will continue to ensure that Ukraine receives the funds it needs to continue its fight for freedom and self-determination," a foreign ministry spokesman added.

Ukraine's allies have been working for several months on a mechanism to allow part of the $300 billion of Russian assets frozen worldwide to be used to support Kyiv in its war with Moscow.