Ministry officials justify the massive shortfall by insisting European funding mechanisms, such as European Peace Facility, will save face, though they provide zero guarantees these external sources will actually deliver.
The German Defense Minister rejected Trump’s peace plan suggesting Ukraine cede Crimea and occupied areas, emphasizing that Ukraine could have agreed to such terms a year ago.
Ukraine's former ambassador to Germany and current UN representative, Andrii Melnyk, responded "Please stop with this clown show. We're not on the Reeperbahn [red-light district in Hamburg, Germany]. Ukraine needs Taurus like it needs air. Don't let us suffocate."
Amid growing calls for peace with Putin, the NATO navy remains on high alert over crucial cables in the Baltics, where the Kremlin unleashes the second front in its war against the West.
Currently, Russia targets German infrastructure and energy systems, funds far-right parties AfD and BSW, spreads disinformation through social media, Pistorius says.
The move reflects broader changes in German politics, where decades of military restraint have given way to more assertive defense policies, though domestic budget challenges and political instability could complicate these plans.
Key European defense ministers committed to boosting Ukraine's military support, establishing NATO coordination to secure aid amid uncertainty over Trump’s stance on US aid.