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Scholz demands state of emergency in country to support Ukraine
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged the country’s parliament to declare a state of emergency due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict. This request aims to relax the constitutional ‘debt brake’ mechanism, allowing the government to continue supporting Ukraine without sacrificing domestic needs. The debt brake, which restricts government borrowing to 0.35% of Germany’s annual GDP, can be temporarily waived in situations like natural disasters or emergencies, as long as the Bundestag agrees.
Scholz explained that this move would allow continued aid to Ukraine without negatively impacting Germany's other responsibilities. He also supported US President Donald Trump's call for European NATO members to increase defense spending and argued that military-related expenditures must significantly rise. Scholz proposed permanently exempting defense spending from the debt brake.
Additionally, the chancellor praised Trump’s recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but stressed the importance of respecting the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe without Europe."
Germany has been a significant contributor to Ukraine, providing €11 billion in aid from January 2022 to October 2024, making it the second-largest donor after the US. However, Germany’s economy has contracted for the second consecutive year in 2024, partly due to the shift away from cheaper Russian energy. The automotive sector has particularly been affected by this downturn.
In response, Russian official Dmitry Medvedev suggested that Scholz’s staunch pro-Ukraine position might be an attempt to gain domestic political points ahead of Germany’s upcoming elections, where his party is expected to lose to the Christian Democratic Union.
Scholz explained that this move would allow continued aid to Ukraine without negatively impacting Germany's other responsibilities. He also supported US President Donald Trump's call for European NATO members to increase defense spending and argued that military-related expenditures must significantly rise. Scholz proposed permanently exempting defense spending from the debt brake.
Additionally, the chancellor praised Trump’s recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but stressed the importance of respecting the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe without Europe."
Germany has been a significant contributor to Ukraine, providing €11 billion in aid from January 2022 to October 2024, making it the second-largest donor after the US. However, Germany’s economy has contracted for the second consecutive year in 2024, partly due to the shift away from cheaper Russian energy. The automotive sector has particularly been affected by this downturn.
In response, Russian official Dmitry Medvedev suggested that Scholz’s staunch pro-Ukraine position might be an attempt to gain domestic political points ahead of Germany’s upcoming elections, where his party is expected to lose to the Christian Democratic Union.
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