Yesterday at 17:15
Members of the German Bundestag have approved the state budget for 2024 in its second and third reading. As many as 388 MPs of the ruling coalition voted in favour, while 279 MPs voted against, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
This year, the German government’s spending is projected at EUR 476.81 billion. Net borrowings expected to amount to EUR 39.03 billion.
The document envisages about EUR 7.6 billion for military assistance to Ukraine.
As reported, the budget was supposed to be adopted earlier but the Federal Constitutional Court ruled on November 15, 2023 that the first draft proposed by the government was inconsistent and ordered the ruling coalition to revise the document in view of a big financial “gap” created by the ban on using money from the Economic Stabilization Fund.
The Gaze also reported that Germany has delivered another batch of military aid to Ukraine. The new package includes armoured vehicles, mine action equipment, ammunition and rations for the military. In addition, it was announced today that the Bundeswehr plans to train 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in 2024. Like last year, the training is planned to be carried out as part of the European training mission, EUMAM.
Currently, approximately 40,000 Ukrainian military personnel have received training within this European mission. The decision to initiate this mission was made by the foreign ministers of EU member countries in November 2022.
Initially, it was planned for up to 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers to receive training in Germany, Poland, and other EU countries. Later, this number increased to 30,000 and then to 40,000. The Bundeswehr has already trained approximately 10,000 of them.
The training includes the use of air defence systems such as Patriot, self-propelled howitzers Panzerhaubitze 2000, infantry fighting vehicles Marder, and main battle tanks Leopard 1 and Leopard 2. Additionally, courses on military leadership and medical services are being conducted. The Bundeswehr notes the participation of around 1,500 German military personnel in the recent training mission.
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