German Free Democratic Party (FDP) leader Christian Lindner has expressed the party’s willingness to approve an additional three billion euros in military aid for Ukraine before the upcoming Bundestag election. “The FDP has always supported aid and we will do so now” Lindner told the Rheinische Post in a Friday edition interview.
The Bundestag can pass the aid with a large majority, he explained, adding that the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is only opposing the measure by mixing it with other issues in an “unworthy” manner, reminiscent of the previous government’s “traffic light” coalition.
The FDP faction is open to a special meeting of the Bundestag’s Budget Committee to decide on the over-budget allocation for Ukraine, in accordance with Article 112 of the German Constitution. Such a meeting could take place as early as next week, according to parliamentary sources.
The SPD, Greens, and Union are all in support of further aid for Ukraine. According to the Union and FDP, the additional expenses must be financed through savings or re-allocation in the federal budget for 2025. In contrast, the SPD faction is calling for the debt brake to be suspended to fund the additional aid.