Boris Pistorius demands more money for arms deliveries to Ukraine

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Defense Minister Pistorius in a Leopard 2 tank (on February 1 in Augustdorf, North Rhine-Westphalia)

Photo:

Federico Gambarini / dpa

The House of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) considers it necessary to significantly increase the funds for arms deliveries to Ukraine.

During talks with the Ministry of Finance, the planners from the military department reported an acute additional need for the current budget.

The so-called "upgrading title" in the individual plan 60 must increase from around two to almost six billion euros as early as 2023.

The federal government pays for a large part of the arms deliveries from the pot, but also for the subsequent procurement of systems that are handed over from the Bundeswehr stocks.

For example, the planned delivery of 300,000 rounds of ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank for the summer, which will cost a low three-digit million sum.

Replacement for Leopard tanks

In addition, the subsequent procurement of 14 Leopard 2 tanks is to be financed from the »upgrading title«.

More than 200 million euros could be due for this.

The finance department reacted reservedly to the new demand.

more on the subject

• Boris Pistorius on his ministry and procrastinating partners: »Bloated is an ugly word.

  But yes, 3,000 people are a lot." A SPIEGEL interview by Matthias Gebauer and Konstantin von Hammerstein

• Negotiations on the federal budget: Pistorius wants ten billion more per year for the Bundeswehr By Matthias Gebauer and Christian Reiermann

From the point of view of the officials of Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), the Bundeswehr should first check whether individual items cannot be lifted from the special fund of 100 billion euros that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has provided.

In the chancellery, however, the defense department supports the idea of ​​increasing the budget title.

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