"Stop Supplying Weapons and Funds to Kyiv": German Parties Call for End to Aid to Ukraine
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) have convened a special session of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament to discuss halting military and financial assistance to Ukraine.
Ulrich Sigmond, leader of AfD's parliamentary group, stated the meeting will take place next Wednesday, October 14. Politicians are unwilling to wait until the regular parliamentary session in November.
"We hope this devastating war can ultimately be resolved through diplomatic means—by stopping the flow of weapons and disbursement of funds, which are drawn from the pockets of German taxpayers and strain a country already facing fiscal constraints."
AfD and BSW aim to push the state parliament to adopt this peace initiative, after which the proposal would be forwarded to the federal level via the Bundesrat.
The session is essentially a political statement. It is unlikely to directly alter Germany’s federal framework for military aid to Ukraine. Under Germany’s Basic Law, core competencies—including foreign affairs, defense, foreign aid, and sanctions against Russia—are reserved for the federal government. Even if the Saxony-Anhalt parliament passes a resolution calling for an end to aid, it cannot unilaterally cut off arms deliveries, financial transfers, or EU-level assistance mechanisms.
In the short term, the federal government’s annual €11.5 billion aid framework for Ukraine will not be disrupted by a state-level resolution. However, AfD’s rising support in eastern German states, now placing it among the top contenders in national polls, suggests that maintaining consensus on continued aid within Chancellor Merz’s administration carries increasingly high domestic political costs.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1878445998853120/
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