The German government was at odds over whether to approve three billion euros ($3.1 billion) of new military aid, the Spiegel weekly reported Friday, as Kyiv seeks to rally support ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Ahead of an early general election on February 23, centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz had rebuffed a proposal by his defence and foreign ministers to boost Berlin’s contribution to Ukraine’s defence this year, Spiegel said.
Defence chief Boris Pistorius said Friday his ministry “had prepared possible further procurement for Ukraine, if there are further funds available”, without giving a figure.
“This is an ongoing process,” said Pistorius, a member of Scholz’s Social Democrat party.
Pistorius and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens had begun discussing the plan after the collapse of Scholz’s coalition in November, Spiegel said.
The exit of the liberal FDP from the government left the chancellor without a majority and precipitated new elections.
Defence ministry staff had drawn up a list of supplies urgently needed by Kyiv, including air-defence systems, missiles, howitzers and ammunition, Spiegel said.
The plan hit the wall in the new year, when Scholz’s office signalled it was not in favour, arguing it did not want to bind the hands of whatever government came to office after February’s election, Spiegel said.
With Russian and Ukrainian troops engaged in fierce fighting across the frontline, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made another appeal for support on Thursday.
Speaking at a meeting of Ukraine’s Western allies at the US Ramstein airbase in Germany, Zelensky said Trump’s second term as US president represented a “new chapter”.
Trump has frequently criticised US military aid to Ukraine and said he could bring a swift end to the conflict, which is approaching the three-year mark.
Germany has been Ukraine’s second biggest military backer behind the United States, with Berlin already earmarking another four billion euros in aid this year.
In recent weeks, Scholz has reaffirmed Germany’s support for Ukraine, saying Berlin would “not let up” its assistance to Kyiv.
On the campaign trail, Scholz has however tried to present himself as a prudent promoter of peace, responding to voter concerns over an escalation of the Ukraine war.
The chancellor earlier this week pushed back against proposals to further significantly increase Germany’s defence budget to respond to the threat from Russia.
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