German Greens Push for Increased Military Aid to Ukraine
A group of German lawmakers from the Green Party has urged Chancellor Friedrich Merz to increase military aid to Ukraine, citing a slowdown in US arms deliveries. In a letter obtained by Bild, these lawmakers, including Robin Wagener, Sara Nanni, Sebastian Schafer, and Anton Hofreiter, criticized the recent increase in military assistance from €7.1 billion to €8.3 billion as insufficient. They argue that Berlin must raise the figure to at least €8.5 billion and maintain this level through 2029. The Greens, who have been vocal supporters of Ukraine in the Bundestag, claim that Germany’s constitutional debt limits can be sidestepped through special exemptions.
This call for increased support comes as Germany has already sent nearly €16 billion in aid to Ukraine, including €11.2 billion in direct weapons supplies since 2022. The US has reportedly paused certain weapon shipments under the ‘America First’ policy, raising concerns about the sustainability of Western military support. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has condemned the EU’s militarization efforts, calling the conflict a NATO-led proxy war. Critics warn that continued arms spending could strain Germany’s budget and damage its industry, which is already struggling with rising energy costs and anti-Russia sanctions. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called for a halt to weapons shipments and dialogue with Moscow.