The Greens proposed an amendment calling for an extra €4.5 billion for Ukraine, partially to fund additional air defense systems. The money would have increased Berlin’s Ukraine spending from €8.26 billion to €12.76 billion for this year.
Green budget lawmaker Sebastian Schäfer linked the demand to ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
After Moscow struck civilian targets over the weekend, Schäfer wrote on X: “With the 2025 budget we could provide extra air defense. Unfortunately, Jens Spahn (CDU) and [Matthias] Miersch (SPD) reject it — despite their promises in Kyiv a week ago,” referring to parliamentary group leaders of the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Christian Democrats (CDU). Both recently traveled to the Ukrainian capital.
The Greens argue that Germany cannot merely compensate for declining U.S. support but must surpass it, warning that without stronger air defenses, Ukraine risks serious battlefield setbacks while Russia consolidates its positions.
Coalition MPs hit back, dismissing the Greens’ proposal as political posturing.
Andreas Schwarz, an MP with the SPD, said the extra billions could not be spent this year anyway, citing long delivery times for weapons systems and fiscal rules. “This Green proposal is a classic opposition stunt for show, because the money could not be disbursed by year’s end,” Schwarz told POLITICO.
