Germany to double military aid to Ukraine in 2024

This was reported by Bild.

According to Bild, the German Ministry of Defence has decided to double military aid to Ukraine this week, and next week the Budget Committee will officially decide on an additional EUR 4 billion, which will mean more weapons and ammunition in the defensive war against Russia.

Initially, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner had only provided EUR 4 billion for military aid in the federal budget for 2024, but almost all of the money was spent on projects already promised, leaving the Ministry of Defence with EUR 120 million for new support.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced the need for an additional EUR 5 billion during budget negotiations.

Instead, EUR 4 billion was agreed for 2024, in addition to another EUR 2 billion that the Ministry of Defence can spend as so-called commitment authorisations for long-term defence contracts.

The ministry estimates that Germany will reach 2.1% of its gross domestic product spent on defence in 2024.

At the Bundeswehr conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that next year Germany would reach the goal agreed with NATO, according to which at least 2% of GDP would go to the defence budget.

Budget expert Andreas Schwarz told Bild that doubling military aid is right and important because it will back up Germany's promise to help Ukraine with the necessary money.

• On Friday, 10 November, Germany allocated about EUR 10 million to establish Ukrainian centres of excellence in Kyiv, Lviv and Kharkiv.