Germany will not reduce its military support for Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday, following concerns that Berlin might disappoint Kyiv due to a tight budget and reports suggesting it would freeze new military aid.
“Germany’s support for Ukraine will not cease. We have made provisions, signed agreements [for defense], and secured funding in good times so that Ukraine can continue to rely fully on us in the future,” Scholz stated.
In August, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) reported that Germany’s Ministry of Finance would not approve additional requests for military aid to Ukraine due to budget constraints.
However, a German government spokesperson later said that this report was “inaccurate” and reiterated that Berlin would support Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”
Scholz spoke on Wednesday at a military base near the northern town of Todendorf, where Germany’s first medium-range air defense system, IRIS-T SLM, was put into operation.
Even before the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) accepted the first unit of this air defense system, Germany had funded several IRIS-T SLM systems for Ukraine, which have been primarily used to defend Kyiv against Russian missile attacks.
So far, Germany has delivered four of the 12 promised IRIS-T SLM air defense systems to Kyiv.
“In Ukraine, IRIS-T has intercepted more than 250 missiles, drones, and cruise missiles to date, and has saved countless lives with an impressive average accuracy of 95 percent or more,” Scholz said.
With a range of 40 kilometers and 360-degree coverage, this system, built by the German arms manufacturer Diehl, has been used to intercept cruise missiles—employed by Russia to attack power plants—and also fighter jets, including Iranian-made Shahed drones.
