Reuters —Germany plans to halve its military aid to Ukraine next year, despite concerns that US support for Kyiv could potentially diminish if Republican candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House. German aid to Ukraine will be cut to €4 billion ($4.35 billion) in 2025 from around €8 billion in 2024, according to a draft of the 2025 budget seen by Reuters. Germany has faced criticism for repeatedly missing a NATO target of spending 2% of its economic output on defense. Days after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a “Zeitenwende” – German for historic turning point - with a €100 billion special fund to bring the military up to speed. The defense budget is set to receive a meagre €1.3 billion more than in 2024, far below the €6.7 billion requested by Pistorius.

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Persons: Donald Trump, Christian Lindner, Trump, JD Vance, Olaf Scholz, Kay Nietfeld, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Boris Pistorius, Pistorius . Scholz, Zelensky, John MacDougall, “, ”, Ingo Gaedechens Organizations: Reuters, House, Group, German, Washington, Ukraine, Trump, NATO, Social Democrats, Greens, Defense, Getty, CDU Locations: Germany, Ukraine, €, Europe, United States, Russia, Irpin, Kyiv, Berlin