Bild: German defense ministry concerned about insufficient funds for Ukraine in 2024
The German government has not yet budgeted enough funds to be able to deliver enough military aid to Ukraine in 2024, German media outlet Bild reported on Oct. 22, citing a confidential Defense Ministry memo.
The 2024 budget will be approved in mid-November, but the Defense Ministry is concerned that the current draft budget leaves only 120 million euros ($127.2 million) for new military support to Ukraine next year once existing commitments are subtracted.
While the Finance Ministry has earmarked four billion euros ($4.2 billion) for military support to Ukraine next year, the Defense Ministry has calculated that 3.1 billion euros ($3.3 billion) will go to projects that have already been announced, according to Bild.
Another 770 million euros ($816 million) will go to the Foreign Ministry's aid programs, leaving just 120 million for new military aid support to Ukraine in 2024.
However, the Defense Ministry expects to need billions more to meet Ukraine's needs for military support, Bild reported.
This includes 880 million euros ($932 million) for air defense, 675 million ($715 million) for armored combat vehicles, 390 million ($413 million) for combat engineering, 935 million ($990 million) for protective equipment, and 2.34 billion ($2.48 billion) for repairs, spare parts, and logistics.
"Ukraine must be able to rely on Germany’s promises,” Andreas Schwarz, the MP responsible for the defense budget in the German parliament's budget committee, told Bild.
"It must not be the case that we run out of financial steam when it comes to aid to Ukraine next year," Schwarz said.
Negotiations to finalize the budget are currently ongoing. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said in August that Germany plans to provide Ukraine with 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) in annual military aid until 2027.
Germany is the world's largest provider of military aid to Ukraine after the United States.
Martin Fornusek
