Germany announced Sunday it was committing $113 billion to a special armed forces fund and would keep its defense spending above 2% of GDP from now on.
PUBLISHED 9:47 AM EST Feb. 27, 2022 It was one of the most significant shifts in European security policy in decades, brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced Sunday that Germany was committing $113 billion to a special armed forces fund and would keep its defense spending above 2% of GDP from now on
The announcement by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which came hours after Germany announced it would send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine, underscored how Russia’s war in Ukraine was rewriting Europe’s post-World War II security policy. Scholz’s announcement of new defense funding is significant for Germany, which has come under criticism from the United States and other NATO allies for not investing adequately in its defense budget. NATO member states committed to spending 2% of their GDP on defense, but Germany has consistently spent much less.
Israel also offered itself as a potential mediator during a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin and Israel said. A senior Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidential diplomatic matter, said Bennett told Putin that Israel was ready to assist as much as required, and at any time, in order to help resolve the crisis and bringing the parties closer.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he will urge the ministers to endorse “a package of emergency assistance for the Ukrainian armed forces, to support them in their heroic fight.”