German foreign minister irritated by aid to Ukraine being seen as charitable gesture

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for the defence of the European peace order and increased support for Ukraine.

As reported byTagesschau, at a conference on the National Security Strategy in Berlin, Baerbock spoke out against the attitude that helping Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression is a charitable gesture.

"It is irritating to see discussions in which support for Ukraine is seen as a charitable gesture rather than what it really is – an investment in our own national security, in the defence of peace and freedom," Baerbock said.

The German foreign minister also noted that "there can be no greater national interest than this".

"We will defend our Europe – every square centimetre of our Europe – and our freedom," she added.

Earlier, it was reported that the military equipment export licences issued by the German government in the first half of 2024 – the vast majority of which were intended for Ukraine – were worth at least €7.48 billion.

Last year, German arms exports reached a historic high of €12.2 billion, including €4.4 billion in arms sales to Ukraine.

During the first three months of 2024, Germany approved €3.54 billion worth of arms exports to Ukraine.