No, Germany Isn’t Halting Aid to Ukraine
Someone started it and it took off like wildfire
Patience is a virtue the fourth estate badly needs. However, in their struggle to survive, they constantly engage in a rat race to be the first out of the gate. Often, that desire keeps tripping them up. They refuse to learn that it is this very behavior that got them into the struggle for survival in the first place.
Some media company concluded that Germany is going to stop Ukraine aid due to budgetary cuts. This news was quickly picked up by several other media companies and then found its way onto social media. Many people, from the well-educated to those who have no idea what they are talking about, started sharing this story, blowing a half-baked conclusion completely out of proportion. Even some think tanks started chiming in with their opinion.
As usual, I decided to wait. I knew something was amiss. It did not make any sense, so I held back, waiting for either Ukraine to respond or someone in the German coalition government to respond. I knew it would come through because the news started trending on social media.
Both responses came through.
This is what Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had to say about it:
“The reports that Germany is allegedly stopping military aid to Ukraine are incorrect,” Heorhy Tykhyi, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, told Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. “This is the same kind of manipulation as the previous reports about (Germany) halving aid for the next year.”
Tykhyi said that the German budget is expected to be approved in November, and only then the level of support for Ukraine for next year will be known.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the chairwoman of the defense committee of the Bundestag, completely dismissed the report that Germany is halting aid to Ukraine. She stated that Germany will find ways to expand aid:
There is no doubt that the #Ukraine must be supported with everything possible in its fight for its own and European peace and freedom. Contrary to other reports, support will not be cut.
The current momentum must be used against Russia. Germany is and remains the biggest European supporter of Ukraine. The planned deliveries, including Iris-T, are guaranteed. It is also clear that aid must be expanded.
However, this is only possible together with our European partners, from whom we also demand more commitment than before. To this end, the EU and G7 will provide Ukraine with additional financial assistance of around 50 billion euros from frozen Russian assets by the end of 2024.
In Germany, we will ensure that until this financial aid is released, there will be no interruption in the orders already in place to support Ukraine and that Ukraine can order or receive the aid it needs at any time.
what it needs to defend itself against the brutal Russian war of aggression. My personal commitment to Ukraine will not diminish either.
As a member of the FDP executive committee, I will work hard at the national level and as Chair of the European Parliament’s Defence Committee at the EU Defence Ministers’ Meeting to ensure that support for Ukraine is further expanded.
This is necessary for the security of Germany and the security of Europe.
In February this year, Germany committed to sending 7 billion euros worth of aid to Ukraine. There is no change there. Since there is going to be money coming from EU funds, which taps into interest payments accruing on Russia’s frozen assets, Germany is considering using that money for next year’s assistance and possibly a little for this year as well.
This is exactly what I wanted Europe to do for a very long time: to make Putin pay for his war. Why should Germany, France, the UK, or the United States spend their own money? They need to take Russian money and give it to Ukraine to send the Kremlin’s forces back home. So far, the allies have only decided to use interest payments from frozen Russian assets. They need to take the principal.
Why send 50 billion euros when you can easily triple it?
Putin is still thinking that when he withdraws his troops, he will be able to convince the West to return the frozen assets to him. Considering the dire state of his economy, he is extremely dependent on that money to stave off an economic collapse. The long-term future of Russia is under intense threat. Putin needs that money to keep the state together, as well as lifting all sanctions on his regime.
If instead he sees the war starting to drain that final backup, it will force him to change his calculus.
If you need more proof that Germany is the one leading the charge against Russia (I have written about this multiple times), here is President Zelensky subtly telling the world the same on August 18th:
“I received a briefing from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi, covering the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine, operations in the Kursk region, the ‘exchange fund,’ and the equipping of our brigades, particularly the reserves, with ammunition and weapons. In every direction, our troops are doing an outstanding job.
However, when it comes to supplies from our partners, we need things to speed up. There are no holidays in war. We need decisions — we need timely logistics for the promised aid packages. I’m specifically addressing the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
Additionally, important weeks of diplomatic work lie ahead, involving various partners. Europe, America, the Global South. We’ve already expanded and will continue to expand the circle of those who support a just end to this war. It’s vital that Ukraine enters this autumn even stronger than before”.
Where is Germany?
Of-course, Germany wont be there!
Thanks for reading. Making critical information on Ukraine accessible is one way to fight misinformation. That’s why I’ve made 250 stories free to the public in 2024, including this one.
