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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, next to him Finance Minister Christian Lindner
Photo: John MacDougall / AFP
The German government's announcement that it would provide more money for military aid, primarily for Ukraine, was met with skepticism.
It remained unclear on Saturday which types of weapons could be available at what time.
Ukraine now needs "weapons for defense, and as soon as possible," wrote the CDU foreign politician
Norbert Röttgen
on Twitter - "it cannot defend itself with money."
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) announced on Friday evening that the so-called training aid - an initiative to strengthen the security of foreign partners - would be increased to two billion euros in the federal budget.
"Most of the funds will benefit Ukraine," Lindner wrote on Twitter.
The ARD reported that "well over a billion" of the money should go to Ukraine.
The Ukrainians could use it to "buy the weapons they want," it said, citing government circles.
»Trick for a face-saving solution«
Money for arms purchases is already available to Ukraine, Röttgen wrote.
In addition, the German funds would only be usable once the corresponding budget had been passed and "then it's summer".
"Unfortunately, I have to say: What Scholz and Lindner came up with is cynical," criticized the CDU politician.
In the editorial network Germany, Röttgen spoke of a “trick” that was only intended to help the coalition “to find a face-saving solution in the dispute over arms deliveries”.
The Green European politician
Anton Hofreiter
told the "Welt am Sonntag" that the increase in military aid was "a good first step".
However, the measure “cannot replace the direct delivery of weapons”.
"Anyone who still doesn't want to deliver heavy weapons to the Ukraine is working in the hands of the Russian offensive," wrote Green Party politician
Ralf Fücks
.
"Ukraine is paying with death and destruction for our hesitation and procrastination on arms deliveries and sanctions," he warned.
"The announcement of the increase in military training aid for Ukraine sounds good at first glance," said the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin,
Andriy Melnyk
, to the "Welt am Sonntag".
However, there had been no consultations with his country on this.
"We don't know either the volume of further arms deliveries, the procedure or the time horizon," said Melnyk, irritated.
There are offers for the delivery of heavy weapons from German armaments companies, but no commitment from the federal government.
But he hopes for "an honest and constructive dialogue" about it.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is under strong pressure from the ranks of the traffic light coalition because of his hesitation in delivering weapons.
In addition to Hofreiter, the FDP defense
politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann
and the SPD foreign politician
Michael Roth
are pushing for heavy weapons to be made available to Ukraine.
Ukraine needs "suitable weapons - quickly," said SPD European politician
Katarina Barley
to the editorial network Germany.
Criticism also came from the opposition.
"Anyone who still considers arms deliveries to be warmongering either didn't understand anything at all in the last few weeks or wants Russia and Putin to win this war," wrote CDU defense
politician Serap Güler
on Twitter.
"We must provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs," demanded CSU European politician
Manfred Weber
in the "Passauer Neue Presse".
Scholz's "procrastination course" must come to an end, demanded NRW Prime Minister
Hendrik Wüst
(CDU) in the RND newspapers.
mamk/AFP
