Discontent in Germany Grows Over Ukraine Aid
(MENAFN) Discontent is rising across Germany as financial support to Ukraine continues to expand, while internal spending remains inadequate, according to Alice Weidel, co-chair of the opposition party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Germany has emerged as one of Kiev’s top military supporters following the intensification of the conflict in February 2022.
Earlier this year, the German Defense Ministry disclosed a commitment of €5 billion (equivalent to $5.6 billion) to support the production of long-range weaponry in Ukraine.
During an appearance on a national broadcaster, Weidel voiced her criticism regarding how public money is being allocated.
She argued that domestic priorities are being neglected in favor of military contributions to Ukraine.
Highlighting this point, she recalled a previously proposed initiative to eliminate electricity taxes, which would have required €5.4 billion in state funding—an amount she noted is nearly the same as the defense funding committed to Ukraine.
Weidel remarked, “And then our government, the Friedrich Merz government, gives Ukraine nine billion in German tax money and now wants to buy Patriot missiles for Ukraine for five billion. Nobody understands that anymore.”
This comment referred to a U.S.-supported initiative involving the transfer of Patriot missile defense systems to Kiev through NATO allies, with Germany assuming financial responsibility.
Following discussions in Washington with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius indicated that an agreement on the delivery could be reached “within days or weeks,” though the actual deployment of the systems may be delayed by several months.
Berlin has expressed willingness to fund at least two Patriot units for Ukraine, with each system carrying an estimated price tag of around $1 billion.
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