Germany approves 2026 budget with record aid for Ukraine

On Friday, November 28, the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag, approved Germany’s federal budget for 2026, which includes an unprecedented level of support for Ukraine.

The deputies approved expenditures of €524.5 billion for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, €21.5 billion more than in the 2025 budget. In doing so, the legislators “endorsed” the government’s ambitious plans for defense, social policy, and international aid.

Highlights of the 2026 budget

To cover expenditures within the main budget, the government plans to raise nearly €98 billion in debt.

In addition, loans from special funds will be used, particularly for the modernization of the Bundeswehr and infrastructure development.

More than a third of all spending will go to labor and social protection programs.

Defense spending is set to reach around €108 billion, the highest level since the end of the Cold War.

Support for Ukraine at a record level

The budget allocates a separate €11.5 billion in aid for Ukraine. These funds are intended for the purchase of artillery systems, drones, armored vehicles, and other weapons.

According to the German Ministry of Defense, this is the largest amount of support Berlin has provided since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

In this way, Germany’s new government signals that it will continue its strategic support for Kyiv and strengthen European defense capabilities.

The budget’s approval was one of the parliament’s key decisions ahead of 2026, setting the country’s financial priorities and its role in European security.

On November 26, Germany announced €170 million in winter aid for Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that after any peace agreement with Russia, Ukraine will need strong armed forces and reliable security guarantees.

Earlier, Chancellor Merz stated that the full-scale war in Ukraine can only end if the terms are acceptable to both Kyiv and the EU.