German government halves support for Ukraine in 2025
After lengthy debate, the German government has approved a draft budget for 2025 in which the amount of aid for Ukraine is half that allocated in 2024.
Source: European Pravda citing German media outlet Spiegel
Details: The German federal government has adopted the draft budget for 2025, which includes measures to stimulate the economy, and is submitting it to the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament.
Planned expenditure, subject to the maximum expenditure threshold (known as the debt brake), is €480.6 billion. However, new debts of more than €94 billion are still planned for 2024-2025. New borrowing in 2025 will amount to €43.8 billion.
The Bundestag will start considering the draft in September and is expected to approve the supplementary budget for 2024 on 8 November and the 2025 budget on 29 November. Amendments may be made up until then.
The draft provides for a €1.3 billion increase in defence spending, bringing it to over €53 billion. This is less than what Defence Minister Boris Pistorius originally wanted (he insisted on €6 billion), and there will likely be a heated debate in parliament on increasing defence spending.
In addition to the defence budget itself, €22 billion from a debt-financed special fund is earmarked for upgrading equipment for the German military.
Up to €4 billion has been allocated for military aid to Ukraine, compared to almost €8 billion in the 2024 budget.
A few days ago, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended the coalition's compromise on the federal budget for 2025 despite criticism from the opposition.
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