In these fateful days, the world’s eyes are on Ukraine. Since the beginning of the unprovoked Russian war, the country and its citizens are suffering horribly every day. International partners, including Germany, are doing their utmost to provide Ukraine both with military equipment and with civilian supplies.
Germany firmly stands by Ukraine and has done so long before the war started. For years, contributing to a politically and economically stable, prospering Ukraine has been an important political goal of German governments. In fact, Germany has been the biggest international civilian contributor to Ukraine since 2014, with a total disbursement of €1.83 billion.
Since the end of January 2022, Germany has been the second-biggest contributor of supplies (military, financial, humanitarian) totalling €3.3 billion including the German share of EU support. Within the EU, Germany is the biggest bilateral donor.
Traditionally, long-standing political commitments and legal requirements have prevented Germany from delivering weapons to a war zone. Overruling these required a momentous decision to be taken by the government and parliament.
Ever since, a wide variety of anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, machine guns, ammunition, vehicles and other military equipment have been and will continue to be supplied to Ukraine. This includes Armoured Howitzers and AA tanks. The provision of the most modern anti-aviation missile system (IRIS-T) in the near future has the potential to change the tactical situation over the battlefields fundamentally.
Taking into account the misery and suffering of the civilian population – according to information provided by the United Nations, more than 24 million Ukrainians find themselves in a situation of immediate emergency - alleviating their situation is of paramount importance. Germany provides €430 million for humanitarian aid and €10 million for disaster mitigation both in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. With bilateral contributions totalling €163 million since 2014, Germany is the second-biggest humanitarian donor behind the US.
We also have welcomed one of the largest groups of Ukrainian refugees. More than 390,000 of them have found protection in Germany. They are being offered a wide range of support to facilitate their, at least temporary, integration. A total of 65,000 pupils and students have been accepted at schools all over the country. Sports clubs, neighbourhoods, parishes are all involved in efforts to make the life of our Ukrainian friends easier.
Germany has been the second-biggest contributor of supplies (military, financial, humanitarian) totalling €3.3 billion- Walter Hassmann
Our humanitarian aid comprises supplies of food, medicine, drinking water, electrical power as well as taking care of patients suffering from all kinds of ailments and of those wounded in the war. This support is coordinated by the United Nations. The World Food Programme, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO as well as UN-OCHA and many NGOs play important roles. The International Committee of the Red Cross together with UN-OCHA does important work by negotiating human corridors.
We have contributed €106 million to the disaster management programme of the EU, aimed at Ukraine and its neighbouring countries. German civil protection agency THW is a central partner. Through several projects, we support awareness-building and mine-clearing operations as ammunition residues and newly laid mines constitute imminent dangers for the civilian population.
So far, almost 300 patients from Ukraine have been welcomed in Germany for medical treatment.
In the current year, the Federal Foreign Office will spend €55 million on political stabilisation in order to bolster the resilience of the Ukrainian state and its population. This includes support to the investigation and documentation of human rights violations and crimes of war, a contribution to the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund and seed money for the establishment of the European Endowment for Democracy Centre for Ukrainian Activists in Przemyśl.
While all these facts and figures are important as they represent all the different kinds of direct, immediate and effective support Ukraine needs so urgently, their symbolic meaning is at least as crucial: Germany and all its partners, many of them EU and NATO members, will not let down free and sovereign Ukraine, whatever it takes.
Walter Hassmann is the German ambassador to Malta.