Germany to provide $40.12m to Ukraine for infrastructure restoration amid Moscow-Kyiv war

Germany will provide $40.12 million or €37 million to Ukraine for the reconstruction of the war-torn country, reported Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper citing ministry sources. Around €22.5 million will go into the reconstruction of the power grid in Ukraine and €14.4 million would be to rebuild apartments attacked by Russian forces. German development minister Svenja Schulze was quoted as saying, "My ministry has reallocated funds for this via an emergency programme."

Earlier, German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Thursday that Berlin cannot send heavy weapons to Ukraine from its supplies as the Russian invasion of the ex-Soviet state continues for more than eight weeks. In a television broadcast, he proposed a set up a ‘circular exchange’ with EU and NATO states which would mean that other countries would supply arms for which Berlin will later compensate. In addendum, she also suggested that Soviet-made weapons including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles could be used in the fighting.

She said, "It (using Soviet-made arms) could imply tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and various alternatives that individual countries could offload. We are currently discussing this, and things are running very fast." Asked when Ukraine could get that heavy weaponry, the German defence minister said, "it could happen within days."

Scholz calls Russia-Ukraine war ‘turning point’

The Olaf Scholz administration has triggered a backlash from the international community for its inadequacy to supply heavy weaponry to Ukrainian troops battling Vladimir Putin’s forces. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he said was a “special military operation to denazify” Ukraine. The war that followed, has now left thousands dead, cities pulverised and turned the ex-soviet state into a macabre trap. 

Despite repeated requests from Kyiv, NATO has refused to directly interfere in the ongoing conflict but has increasingly supplied combat equipment and weapons to Ukrainian troops. Previously, Germany had provided 1000 anti-tank weapons, and 500 Stinger anti-tank defence systems in its own stockpile. 

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said in a statement earlier this month. “It threatens our entire post-war order. In this situation, it is our duty to do our utmost to support Ukraine in defending itself against Vladimir Putin’s invading army. Germany stands closely by Ukraine’s side," he had added amidst Russia increasing attacks on Ukraine.

Image: AP