Merz's party urges more funding for military aid to Ukraine

Hardt said he urged Germany’s Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, who represents the Social Democratic Party, to take more seriously the budget requests of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius regarding military aid to Ukraine for 2026.

This follows Klingbeil’s rejection of Pistorius’ budget requests to increase support for Ukraine on fiscal grounds.

"Unfortunately, security policy has developed even less favorably after Chancellor Scholz’s 2022 speech on the turning point and the decisions regarding special funds from spring 2025," the CDU representative said.

Hardt also recalled the recent incident of Russian drones violating Polish airspace, noting that Moscow is testing boundaries in this way.

According to him, a high level of deterrence, particularly in Ukraine, is the best guarantee that "we will navigate this challenging phase of European security policy well and peacefully."

Germany’s plans to support Ukraine

Previously, it was reported that Germany would significantly increase military aid to Ukraine, including providing equipment for four Ukrainian mechanized infantry brigades.

According to Spiegel, the German government also aims to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense, planning an annual increase of 20 percent, taking into account the number of weapon systems and their effectiveness.

In addition, Germany plans to enhance Kyiv’s offensive air capabilities, including long-range precision weapons such as cruise missiles, produced in Ukraine with financial and technological support.

Ukraine may also receive equipment for four mechanized infantry brigades, which would amount to about 480 infantry vehicles per year, including armored personnel carriers.

Germany considers other key components of security guarantees to be:

• continued training of Ukrainian soldiers

• close cooperation between Ukraine’s defense industry and European states