23 March, 2025 Production of the KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle at a German plant in Lower Saxony. Photo credits: Rheinmetall
On Friday, the Bundestag’s budget committee approved approximately €11 billion in additional funds to support Ukraine’s military needs.
This includes more than €8 billion earmarked for military assistance between 2026 and 2029.
The German Aid to Ukraine project noted that the approved €8 billion consists of “commitment appropriations.”
They enable the German Ministry of Defense to commit to future expenditures.
These appropriations also allow the ministry to sign contracts in advance with Rheinmetall, Diehl Defence, and other defense manufacturers, ensuring the long-term supply of military equipment to Ukraine.
Diehl Defence representatives near the IRIS-T SLX system. June 2024. Germany. Photo credits: MRV/Annette RiedlDiehl Defence representatives near the IRIS-T SLX system. June 2024. Germany. Photo credits: MRV/Annette Riedl
In particular, the following funds will be additionally available for this purpose in the coming years:
2026: Up to approximately €2.69 billion
2027: Up to approximately €3.17 billion
2028: Up to approximately €2.23 billion
2029: Up to approximately €164.37 million
This long-term commitment reinforces Germany’s role not only in short-term aid but also in the sustained support of Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The newly approved €8.2 billion in appropriations comes in addition to the €2.9 billion the German Ministry of Defense has already allocated during the first two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In March, the German parliament passed a landmark bill allowing up to €1 trillion in investments in the country’s military and infrastructure.
To do so, the government bypassed the constitutionally mandated “debt brake”—a fiscal rule that limits government borrowing and restricts expenditures to available revenues.
German Bundestag. Image: Jörg CarstensenGerman Bundestag. Image: Jörg Carstensen
This measure prevents excessive government debt accumulation, but economists estimate that Germany’s armed forces will require over €400 billion in the coming years.