Support for Ukraine must not affect other German expenditures – Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated during a campaign event in Bielefeld that he opposes increasing arms deliveries to Ukraine if it requires a reduced funding for other expenses on the state budget.

"I am against taking [funding for] this from pensions, I am against doing this by cutting local budgets and I am against reducing investment in railways and roads… This is why we need supplemental funding," Scholz said, as quoted by DPA.

However, Scholz noted that there is no parliamentary majority to suspend Germany’s strict debt limit, known as the "debt brake", to fund aid to Ukraine or other policies.

Scholz’s three-party coalition government collapsed as they failed to come to an agreement after months of contentious budget 2025 negotiations. Early elections have been scheduled for 23 February.

Last week, German magazine Spiegel reported that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius advocated for providing Ukraine with €3 billion worth of weapons ahead of the elections, but Scholz blocked the proposal.

"If you do this, you must also explain where the money is coming from," Scholz said on Monday, 13 January.

Defence Minister Pistorius denied media claims that Scholz is blocking the additional military aid package for Ukraine but acknowledged that a decision has yet to be made.