BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday urged different EU nations to ship extra navy assist to Ukraine, saying Berlin has requested Brussels to test with nations on their deliberate help for Kyiv.
Talking to reporters, Scholz warned that whereas his authorities is planning to double its navy assist to Ukraine to €8 billion this yr inside a draft finances, ”this alone won’t be sufficient to ensure Ukraine’s safety in the long run.
”I due to this fact name on our allies within the European Union to additionally step up their efforts in help of Ukraine. The arms deliveries for Ukraine deliberate to date by nearly all of EU member states are by all means too small,” he stated. ”We’d like increased contributions.”
The chancellor’s unusually frank remarks, delivered at a press convention with Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, mirror the rising frustration and concern amongst German officers that different EU nations look like delivering inadequate navy assets to Ukraine, about to enter its third yr of full-scale invasion by Russia.
Scholz stated different EU nations are ”maybe” planning additional weapons deliveries, ”however we’re not conscious of them” — and that, accordingly, Berlin has requested the EU to confirm with member scountries what help they’re planning. ”On the newest” by the following summit of EU leaders on February 1, Scholz added, ”we’d like an summary as exact as attainable of what concrete contribution our European companions will make to help Ukraine this yr.”
The chancellor additionally expressed optimism that EU nations can overcome Hungary’s objections to a €50 billion EU assist bundle for Ukraine, which is slated to be adopted throughout the February summit.
”I’m assured that we are going to handle to get a call by all 27 member states,” Scholz stated. ”That’s what we’re engaged on very intensively and the place we’re placing a whole lot of effort into really making this attainable.”