Germany is signaling it may slow its military support to Ukraine, showing little enthusiasm for two of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s demands: striking deep into Russia with German Taurus missiles and fast-tracking NATO membership.
Zelensky’s latest bid to bolster the war took him to the UK, France, Italy, and Germany. For now, Berlin will not send anymore of the requested Leopard 2 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, or armored howitzers. The German Defense Ministry does not anticipate Kiev can launch a successful counteroffensive in the near future, according to reports in German news outlet Bild.
Although German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised to deliver 1.4 billion Euros of combined support alongside Belgium, Denmark, and Norway by the end of the year, Germany’s projected military aid to Ukraine for 2025 is half what it gave in 2024. So far, Germany has provided or pledged about 28 billion Euros in military funding for Ukraine.
Behind the U.S., Germany remains Ukraine’s second-largest source of military funding. Even Zelensky’s hard lines drawn earlier seem to be wavering as his administration considers swapping Ukrainian territories for a peace agreement with Russia. The specter of waning military assistance grows larger with the change in U.S. leadership and Germany’s new reticence.
⸺ BBC, July 17; Global Research, Oct. 14, 2024
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