German MPs urge for more money for Ukraine

(MENAFN) A group of lawmakers from Germany’s Green Party has called on Chancellor Friedrich Merz to significantly boost military support for Ukraine, citing reduced U.S. weapons deliveries as a key concern, according to a report by Bild.

In a letter obtained by the outlet, Bundestag members Robin Wagener, Sara Nanni, Sebastian Schafer, and Anton Hofreiter criticized the federal government’s recent increase in military aid from €7.1 billion to €8.3 billion as insufficient. They argue the amount should be raised to at least €8.5 billion and sustained annually through 2029.

These MPs, known as strong advocates for Kiev, claim there is still financial flexibility within the current budget and suggested that constitutional debt limits could be bypassed using special exceptions.

Germany has already provided nearly €16 billion in aid to Ukraine since 2022, including €11.2 billion in weapons, making it the third-largest contributor after the U.S. and U.K., according to the Kiel Institute.

The call for increased funding follows reports that Washington has paused some key weapons shipments to Ukraine, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets, and 155mm shells. Although President Donald Trump claims aid continues, he emphasized maintaining sufficient reserves for U.S. and allied defense.

Chancellor Merz recently pledged to expand Germany’s defense spending, raising the military budget to €153 billion by 2029 and committing 3.5% of GDP to defense under NATO’s updated strategy, which he said responds to a growing threat from Russia.

Russia, meanwhile, has denounced Western arms deliveries and accused NATO of fueling a proxy war. President Putin has rejected claims of Russian aggression and accused the West of exploiting fear to justify defense spending hikes.

At home, critics argue Germany’s defense spending is straining its economy, already under pressure from energy costs, sanctions on Russia, and trade tensions with the U.S. The opposition party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which finished second in February’s election but was excluded from the ruling coalition, has called for an end to arms deliveries and a return to energy cooperation with Moscow.

AfD leaders on Friday urged Merz to seek direct negotiations with Putin to reach a political resolution to the Ukraine conflict. The Kremlin responded that it remains open to talks but stressed Berlin must take the initiative to restore diplomatic ties.

The appeal comes as French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently moderated his position on Ukraine, held his first phone call with Putin in nearly three years, signaling a potential shift in Western diplomacy.

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