This was announced by German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock, who made the pronouncement during a meeting with her counterparts in the European Union in Brussels on Monday, Nov. 13. She provided few details regarding the proposals other than a promise to provide Kyiv with "winter protection" in the months ahead. (Related: DESPERATE MOVE: Zelensky BEGS Western allies for more money, promises to pay back all loans after the war.)
Baerbock reportedly told her European Union (EU) counterparts that, even as Europe struggles to respond to the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza, it is still important to "face the geopolitical challenge here."
"Our support will be massively expanded, especially for the next year," said Baerbock, who warned Moscow to not expect a reduction in EU aid to Kyiv as a result of the "dramatic situation worldwide."
"We will not only continue our support for Ukraine," she added. "We will continue to expand and increase it."
Baerbock's "winter protection," which has already been approved and is not included in the upcoming expanded aid package, includes a shipment of American-made Patriot air defense systems and additional electric generators.
German military aid to Ukraine set to expand to over $8 billion
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's current plan is for his governing coalition to put forward a bill in the Bundestag, the German parliament, to expand the country's military aid for Ukraine from four billion euros ($4.34 billion) to eight billion euros ($8.68 billion).
This is likely to be approved, as Scholz's coalition – comprised of the left-wing Social Democratic Party, the environmentalist Greens and the pro-free market Free Democratic Party – holds a comfortable majority in the Bundestag.
This increase would massively expand Germany's defense spending to 2.1 percent of its gross domestic product, well above the two percent target pledged by all North Atlantic Treaty Organization members.
"It is a strong signal to Ukraine that we will not leave them in the lurch," said Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius, adding that should the proposal be passed by the Bundestag, it would mean the annual budget allocation for Ukraine should be enough to last the whole fiscal year, which begins on Jan. 1, 2024.
Lawmakers from Scholz's government have already agreed on the increase in negotiations over the proposed 2024 federal budget.
This budget proposal does not include another 1.5 billion euros ($1.63 billion) in "commitment authorizations" Scholz's government has already agreed to allocate for Ukraine, which will primarily be spent on non-military aid for Kyiv.
Since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, Berlin has emerged as the second-largest provider of military aid for Kyiv. Germany has spent some $18.2 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, trailing far the U.S., which has spent around $45 billion.
Learn more about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the support provided to Kyiv by Europe and the West at UkraineWitness.com.
Watch this clip from "Borzzikman: Independent Truth Seeker" claiming that Russian special forces units have captured German Army officers in Ukraine.
This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.
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