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Demonstration in Berlin
: more than a hundred thousand on the street
Photo: CHRISTIAN MANG / REUTERS
"The federal budget for 2022 will provide this special fund with a one-off amount of 100 billion euros," said Scholz in a government statement during a special session in the Bundestag on Sunday.
The funds should be used for investments and armament projects.
"From now on - year after year - we will invest more than two percent of the gross domestic product in our defense," announced Scholz.
"We are also doing this for ourselves, for our own safety."
Scholz also announced the accelerated construction of two LNG terminals.
Scholz spoke of a historic break caused by the Russian invasion.
"We are experiencing a turning point," said the Chancellor during the emotional debate at the special session.
MEPs from all factions apart from the AfD rose to applaud those Russians who criticized the war in their homeland and to greet the Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk on behalf of the more than 40 million Ukrainians.
According to the police, far more than 100,000 participants took part in a demonstration in Berlin against the Russian invasion and the war in Ukraine.
"We are experiencing a turning point"
Many speakers in the debate held Russia's President Vladimir Putin personally responsible for the war.
Scholz called him a warmonger, CDU leader Friedrich Merz a war criminal.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that nobody can be neutral in this conflict.
AfD co-chairwoman Alice Weidel and left co-chairman Amira Mohamed Ali also spoke of a "war of aggression" by Russia.
FDP leader and Finance Minister Christian Lindner said that a decision would be made this week in the G7 framework on how to continue helping Ukraine.
So far, the traffic light government had rejected a massive increase in the defense budget and in the coalition agreement avoided a commitment to the NATO states to spend two percent of economic output on security.
As a result of the Ukraine war, the federal government is now assuming that the new debt targeted for 2022 may double from a maximum of 100 billion euros to more than 200 billion euros.
New borrowing could double to more than 200 billion euros
Scholz emphasized that the Russian attack meant a turning point.
It is important that Europe also keeps up technologically and builds the next generation of combat aircraft and tanks together with European partners such as France.
"These projects have top priority for us," emphasized the Chancellor.
For so-called nuclear sharing, the government will procure a modern replacement for the outdated Tornado jets in good time.
Scholz did not specify which aircraft Germany would procure as a successor to the Tornado.
Foreign Minister Baerbock also announced a course correction by the traffic light government with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine.
"A few weeks ago I was saying here in this room on the subject of arms deliveries that a foreign policy 180-degree turn must be made at the right moment and with full consciousness. Now is the moment for it," she said.
Ukraine has a right to self-defense.
You have to support that.
Scholz announced on Saturday that Germany would supply Ukraine with around 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, among other things.
Exclusion from Swift: "Meet the core of the system Putin"
Union faction leader Friedrich Merz offered the traffic light government support for increasing the Bundeswehr budget.
However, it cannot be the case that the traffic light is responsible for the benefits, but the opposition should support constitutionally difficult instruments such as a special fund.
Baerbock defended the Western-agreed exclusion of Russian banks from the Western international payment system Swift.
You had to prepare this exclusion carefully and purposefully.
"We have to make sure we don't run out of breath after three months," she said.
The sanctions should "hit the heart of the Putin system" - economically, financially and individually.
The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) expects clear consequences for the German economy after the exclusion of some Russian banks.
"We will isolate Russia," said Finance Minister Lindner.
The sanctions are permanent.
One is prepared to bear the negative effects for Germany as well.
"Because they are the price of freedom."
For example, reserves of coal and gas will be built up, but renewable energy will also be expanded rapidly.
"Because renewable energies are freedom energies," said Lindner.
By Andreas Rinke and Alexander Ratz, Reuters
