Germany’s Continued Military Support for Ukraine

TODENDORF, Germany (Reuters) – Germany will not slacken in its military support for Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated on Wednesday, aiming to assuage fears that Berlin might disappoint Kyiv amid budget constraints and reports of a freeze on new German military aid.

Scholz affirmed, “Germany’s support for Ukraine will not cease. We have made provisions, struck (defence) deals and secured the funding in good time so that Ukraine can continue to fully rely on us in future.”

European defence stocks dipped in mid-August following a report from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) indicating that the German finance ministry would not approve additional military aid for Ukraine due to budget limitations.

However, a German government spokesperson later branded that report as “incorrect” and reiterated Berlin’s commitment to support Ukraine for “as long as necessary.”

The Chancellor made these statements at a military base near Todendorf, where Germany’s first IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defence system was officially declared operational. Even before the Luftwaffe received its first unit, Germany funded several IRIS-T SLM systems for Ukraine, primarily to protect Kyiv against Russian missile strikes, making it a highly sought-after Western arms donation.

So far, Germany has delivered four out of a promised total of 12 IRIS-T SLM units to Kyiv, with two additional systems scheduled for shipment by the end of this year.

Scholz noted, “In Ukraine, IRIS-T has shot down more than 250 missiles, drones, and cruise missiles to date and saved countless lives, with an impressive hit rate of 95% or even more.” The system, developed by German arms maker Diehl, boasts a 40 km (25 miles) range and a 360-degree coverage, effectively targeting cruise missiles used by Russia against power stations and also intercepting aircraft, including Iran-made Shahed drones.