The leader of Germany’s AfD criticized Merz for plans to purchase Patriot missiles for Ukraine worth €5 billion

Berlin plans to cover Kyiv’s expenses for missiles for the American Patriot air defense system with a sum of five billion euros.

This was stated by Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right German party Alternative for Germany (AfD), in an interview with the public broadcaster ARD.

Weidel, whose party holds the second-largest faction in the Bundestag, criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for financing Ukraine.

She said that the German government could lower electricity costs for citizens by abolishing a tax worth 5.4 billion euros annually, while much larger sums are being sent to Kyiv.

“Instead, our state — Friedrich Merz’s government — is giving Ukraine nine billion euros of German taxpayers’ money and now wants to buy Patriot missiles for Ukraine for another five billion. No one understands this anymore,” Weidel said.

She did not clarify whether the five billion would be spent solely on missiles or also on the launch systems. The German authorities have not previously disclosed precise figures.

Thus, the growing expenses on military aid to Ukraine continue to spark discontent in German society and increase criticism of the government, which is increasingly accused of neglecting domestic economic and social issues.