Germany reveals reasons for increased aid to Ukraine — RT World News
Letter to Bundestag asks for 15 billion euros in coming years, citing kyiv battlefield losses
Heavy combat equipment losses mean Ukraine’s military needs more tanks, artillery and air defenses, as well as their maintenance, according to a letter from the German treasury to parliament revealed by Der Spiegel on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner wrote to the Bundestag on Monday, and the parliamentary budget committee met in secret on Tuesday to consider his request, according to the German media. It is asking for 3.2 billion euros ($3.47 billion) more this year and another 8.8 billion dollars ($9.54 billion) for “ongoing commitments” in addition to the $2.2 billion ($2.39 billion) already spent on Ukraine.
“Due to the high material losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, new supplies of materials are needed”, wrote the Treasury, further claiming that a number of supply and maintenance contracts for “sustainable equipment based on needs” of the kyiv army must be concluded immediately.
The letter specifically states that the Ukrainians need more air defense, tracked armored vehicles – including tanks – and ammunition for tanks and artillery. The procurement of weapon systems also creates a “duty to follow” to provide ammunition, service and maintenance, the Treasury added.
Additional expenses are “objectively unavoidable” Lindner argues, because “Without continued support for Ukraine, there is a serious danger that it will lose” in the conflict against Russia, “With unforeseeable consequences for peace in Europe”.
However, Lindner did not want to submit a supplementary budget request for this funding, but asked parliamentarians to find unspent money in other departments, including appropriate funds to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Covid-19, according to Spiegel.
Asked about the Spiegel revelations on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Berlin’s decision to increase aid to Kyiv “It doesn’t bode well.”
“Current relations between Russia and Germany leave much to be desired,” Peskov added. “Germany is actively participating in the deployment of weapons in Ukraine, directly and indirectly increasing its level of involvement in the conflict.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense estimated that the United States and its allies had spent more than $100 billion to support the Ukrainian military by the end of 2022. Several Western officials have publicly stated that Russia “must lose” where to be “strategically defeated” while insisting that their countries were not actually participating in the conflict.
rt Gt
