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November 23, 2023Germany is currently experiencing a budget crisis.
This was reported by Der Tagesspiegel.
The German Constitutional Court has prohibited all ministries and agencies from taking on financial obligations, essentially freezing expenditures. This could also impact military aid to Ukraine, notes the German publication.
Ukraine had placed great hopes on the visit of the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, writes Der Tagesspiegel. Under his tenure, Germany became the second-largest supplier of military aid to Kyiv. Moreover, there are rumors that he is not opposed to transferring Taurus guided missiles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
And indeed, Pistorius arrived in Ukraine not empty-handed, continues the German publication. He announced that his country would provide Ukrainians with another package of military aid worth €1.3 billion. Alongside artillery shells, this package will include four Iris T-SLM air defense systems, although they still need to be manufactured, with delivery planned for 2025.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in dire need of air defense capabilities as Russia continues to maintain air superiority. Through artillery and drones, Russia manages to destroy Western equipment, forcing Ukrainian soldiers to advance on foot through minefields. Each destroyed tank represents a huge loss for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Additionally, Kyiv currently lacks the capacity to perform basic repairs, leading to damaged equipment being sent to Lithuania.
Moreover, the extension of military aid to Ukraine from Germany is now in question. The problem lies in the fact that there is a €60 billion gap in the German budget for 2024. Consequently, the German Constitutional Court has prohibited all ministries and agencies from assuming financial obligations, essentially freezing expenditures and the budget itself.
The future development of the situation remains unknown, but if the budget cannot be approved, Ukraine will not receive funds, and the Bundeswehr will not be able to compensate for the lack of arms that were previously provided to Kyiv. According to experts, this will lead to catastrophic consequences. In addition to this, just last week, Pistorius stated that Europeans would likely not be able to fulfill their plans to supply Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells. While his visit to Kyiv may help alleviate Ukrainian concerns, it certainly will not eliminate them.