EU partners should deliver more
Lindner demands fairness in aid to Ukraine
January 23, 2024, 10:14 p.m
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Before a major European reconstruction conference, Lindner is warning the EU neighbors to increase their military aid to Ukraine. It is not fair that Germany alone supplies more than 50 percent of the weapons, says the finance minister.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner has called on EU partners to increase their bilateral aid to Ukraine. “In the end, it cannot be the case that Germany does more financially so that others can continue to do less,” said the FDP leader at the Eastern Committee of the German Economy. “We have a common European interest in the sovereignty of Ukraine and we are a European community of values.” The foundation of cohesion is also a fair sharing of burdens.
Germany will not waver in its support for Ukraine. “But if 50 percent of all European aid comes from Germany, then there is also the risk of our fiscal possibilities being overextended,” warned the Finance Minister. According to that Kiel Institute for the World Economy Germany is the second largest donor of military aid to Ukraine after the USA.
“Putin is testing us”
Lindner said that Russian President Vladimir Putin not only miscalculated the war aims when he invaded Ukraine, but also miscalculated in the assumption that the West would ease up on its aid to Ukraine. There are economic disadvantages due to the EU sanctions against Russia. “But prosperity at Putin’s mercy… would also be worthless because we would lose our self-respect and question the European peace order as a whole,” he warned. “Putin is testing us.”
Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser, chairwoman of the Eastern Committee, also emphasized that Germany should not “wobble” when it comes to aid to Ukraine. Both pointed out that Germany would host a reconstruction conference for Ukraine in June. On February 1st, the 27 EU states want to discuss aid for Ukraine. In addition to military aid, it is also about deciding on the desired multi-year financial aid for Ukraine worth 50 billion euros. In December, Hungary refused to agree to this at the EU summit.