The state visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Social Democrats, SPD) to the Republic of Moldova was dominated by the escalation of the NATO war against Russia. With German tanks operating on Russian soil for the first time since the Second World War in the course of the Kursk invasion, Scholz assured Kiev of undiminished financial and military support at a joint press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
Asked about “the debate about whether Germany can continue its aid to Ukraine to the same extent as before,” Scholz explained: “On the concrete situation of support for Ukraine, I can say clearly here: Germany will not let up in support for Ukraine. We will support Ukraine for as long as necessary, and we will be Ukraine's biggest national supporter in Europe.”
The “debate” over an alleged cut in funds, which international media outlets took note of, was always aimed at expanding war support for Ukraine. A possible end to German aid or arms supplies for Ukraine, which a large part of the population would support, was never considered. Even the media, which incessantly demands an intensification of the war effort, was forced to admit this.
“Reports that Ukraine aid is being ‘stopped’ because of austerity measures are false,” wrote the Süddeutsche Zeitung. “€7.1 billion have already been made available in the current year, and €4 billion have been planned so far by the federal government for 2025. Everything they need in addition is now to be financed primarily through interest income from frozen Russian assets.”
Even additional aid coming directly from Germany’s federal budget is not excluded. In a letter of August 5 to Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), Finance Minister Christian Lindner (Free Democrats, FDP) wrote that 'new measures' could only be taken if “funding was secured” in the budgets for this and the coming years. Last Saturday, the Ministry of Finance then stated, according to a report by Wirtschaftswoche, that “it was ready for further talks. For this to happen, however, requirements would have to be specifically requested and understandable.”
The upcoming parliamentary debate on the coalition’s war and austerity budget will therefore be about extracting even more money for the defense budget and the war in Ukraine – at the expense of spending on social welfare, health and education.
In the Moldovan capital Chișinău, Scholz boasted: “We provided for €4 billion in our draft budget last year and then even planned to make a total of €7 billion available this year.” The amount is “greater than what several other large countries in Europe are doing at all.”
For next year, too, “the Federal Government's draft budget again provides for €4 billion.” He continued, “Weapons are constantly being supplied, including those that are necessary for air defense: German weapons such as IRIS-T… but also a lot of ammunition, tanks and everything that is needed for concrete support.' The funds for this would be available 'through the draft budgets for next year, but also through the possibilities we have created for the current year.”
Together with the international €50 billion loan, the funds will even be “more than what was previously available in support of Ukraine,” Scholz emphasized. This is “great, great progress, on which we have worked hard and whose realization we are now pushing forward with all our efforts within a short period of time.”
This is a warning. To prevent the collapse of Ukrainian troops on the front lines in the Donbass, the leading NATO powers are prepared to escalate the conflict further and further. Scholz claimed in Moldova that Ukraine had “prepared its advance to Kursk secretly and without consultations.” This is absurd. It is clear that the offensive, mounted with American, British and German tanks on Russian soil is supported and coordinated by NATO.
Significantly, the head of the Special Ukraine Command in the Ministry of Defence, Major General Christian Freuding, was in Ukraine during the first days of the Kursk offensive. In an extensive Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) interview, he praised the offensive as a “targeted relief attack” for 'the Ukrainian defence in the Donbass,” which is “under immense pressure.” In addition, there is “of course a psychological aspect' when the war is now carried “into the Russian heartland.” And thirdly, it was “a real encouragement to the Ukrainian people.”
Freuding's concrete and detailed reporting is an indication of how directly the Bundeswehr and other NATO armies are involved in the offensive. Ukraine has “prepared this operation very, very well,” Freuding enthused. “They had very good reconnaissance results. They knew that in this area, where they have now attacked, firstly the terrain is favorable for an attack operation, and secondly that there had been a massing of poorly trained, presumably reserve forces.” All in all, it was “a window of opportunity for the Ukrainian armed forces” that was seized.
Even more clearly than the Chancellor, Freuding underlined that Berlin would massively expand its war support for Ukraine. They have made “extensive contracts, which will be delivered now and in the coming years” and “significantly strengthen the Ukrainian armed forces.” Stating that this is 'only a very rough overview,” he proudly presented on a graph the following planned items for this year alone:
- Air defense: 2 IRIS T SLM, 2 IRIS T SLS, 10 Cheetah anti-aircraft guns, guided IRIS T missiles
- Drones and drone defense: different types of drones and different systems for drone defense
- Artillery: 12 self-propelled howitzers 2000, 4 ZUZANA 2
- Hand guns: assault rifles and ammunition
- Armoured combat vehicles: approx. 30 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks, 400 MRAP armoured vehicles
- Logistical support: a ZETROS tanker, trucks and vehicles of various types
- Support medical equipment: medical equipment, 1 field hospital
Freuding's performance is reminiscent of the worst crimes of German militarism. 83 years ago, on June 22, 1941, the Wehrmacht invaded the Soviet Union, culminating in the genocide of 6 million Jews and the murder of 30 million Soviet citizens in the greatest crimes in human history. The German military is now back in the war against Russia and is lauding the Ukrainian army, which is backed up by right-wing extremist forces.
When asked what impressed him most 'on the ground' in Ukraine, Freuding replied: “In the Ukrainian armed forces: organisation, discipline, professionalism, bravery and courage. And with the Ukrainians: this courage to live and the unconditional will for freedom.” In fact, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have already been massacred at the front – not in the fight for 'freedom,” but as cannon fodder for the imperialist interests of the NATO powers.
Despite the danger of a nuclear escalation, they are determined to defeat Russia militarily and to subjugate the resource-rich country. Scholz's visit to Moldova has also underlined how deliberately Berlin is pursuing the goal of removing countries that were once part of the Soviet Union or close to Russia from Moscow's sphere of influence and bringing them under the control of the German-dominated European Union.
Germany supports “the European path” that Moldova has taken, Scholz stressed. The enlargement of the European Union is “in the strategic interest of the Union as a whole” and above all “in the strategic interest of Germany.” It is now necessary to complete the accession processes started a long time ago for some countries, he continued. “This applies in particular to the countries of the Western Balkans, but also to what we have now launched with the accession candidate status for Moldova and for Ukraine, as well as with the prospects for other countries,” Scholz added.