In the debate about reforming the Stability Pact, Scholz also warned that competitiveness can only be achieved with stable national budgets.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has announced further arms deliveries to Ukraine in cooperation with the other EU countries. Together with its European partners, Germany will ensure that Ukraine receives weapons and equipment so that it can hold out and defend itself, Scholz said on Thursday in the Bundestag during a government statement on the EU summit next week.
“It is particularly important to quickly supply Ukraine with the necessary ammunition,” said Scholz. “At the European Council, we will decide on further measures together with our EU partners in order to achieve even better, continuous supply.”
Germany is prepared to open up its procurement projects to other member states. Germany is already providing extensive arms assistance to Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia.
In his government statement, the Chancellor also emphasized Germany’s billions in aid to Ukraine. In the past twelve months, Germany has supported Ukraine bilaterally with more than 14 billion euros, says the SPD politician in a government statement.
“In addition, there is Germany’s share of the extensive EU support for Ukraine – for example in the form of direct budget support, which amounts to a total of 18 billion euros for this year alone.”
Don’t mourn the old days
Scholz also called for confidence in further changes as a result of the Russian war against Ukraine and the climate crisis. “Now it’s not about nostalgically mourning the good old days when so many things were supposedly better,” said the SPD politician. “Now it’s about setting out and tackling together so that a good new era is possible.” This applies to Germany as well as to Europe.
Scholz pointed out that Germany had made itself independent of gas, oil and coal from Russia in just eight months and had switched the supply. “Nobody had to freeze. There was no economic slump and no mandatory shutdown of industrial plants.”
This shows: “When it comes down to it, we can start and upheaval, speed and transformation.” Now it is important to take confidence from this experience.
This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:
According to Scholz, joint efforts are still needed in Europe in order to advance important future technologies. “The rapid ramp-up of all industrial sectors that are crucial for climate neutrality and green transformation must succeed – hydrogen, wind energy and photovoltaics, batteries, heat pumps and geothermal energy, e-mobility and CCS, i.e. CO2 capture and storage,” said Scholz.
“We want to become even faster and even better in the production, introduction and application of green future technologies.” To achieve this, Europe must pull together, and European companies must also network to achieve this. According to Chancellor Scholz, a number of reforms are necessary to make the EU competitive in the long term.
At the EU summit next week, the EU Commission’s proposals to relax state aid rules in the EU and to speed up planning and approvals will be discussed, said Scholz. “And of course a competitive European Union needs the completion of the capital markets and banking unions,” he emphasised.
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In the debate about reforming the Stability Pact, Scholz also warned that competitiveness can only be achieved with stable national budgets. The first steps taken by finance ministers towards reform next week will be taken at the EU summit. The background to this is the desire of some EU countries to relax deficit rules.
Scholz: The federal government bears the vast majority of the refugee costs
The Federal Chancellor also commented on the subject of flight. In view of new demands from the federal states, Scholz emphasized that the federal government already bears the “largest part” of the costs for accommodation and meals for refugees. “The federal government, together with the federal states and municipalities, will continue to live up to its responsibility,” said the SPD politician. Several federal states are currently demanding more money from the federal government for the reception of refugees.
In view of new demands from the federal states, Scholz emphasized that the federal government already bears the “largest part” of the costs for accommodation and meals for refugees.
(Photo: dpa)
The federal government paid states and municipalities more than 3.5 billion euros last year, and this year another 2.75 billion should flow, said Scholz. In addition, Ukrainian refugees could receive citizen benefits. “This means that the federal government bears the vast majority of the costs for accommodation and meals,” said Scholz.
Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) had said in the ARD “Morgenmagazin” that in his state the federal government would bear about a sixth of the costs of the state and the municipalities. “That’s far too low a rate, which I think needs to be increased significantly,” Weil said. “In my view, a fifty-fifty rule would be fair.”
In the coming week in Brussels, the heads of state and government of the 27 member states of the European Union will deal with issues such as competitiveness and energy, but also with the Russian war in Ukraine.
More: You can find the latest news on developments in the Ukraine war in our news blog: