The SPD rejects the claim made by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico that the German Chancellor is blackmailing the EU. Friedrich Merz had demanded in a letter to the EU Council President António Costa that all 27 EU partners commit to supporting Ukraine. Merz is basing his support for the EU budget on such a commitment.
Adis Ahmetovic, foreign policy spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, told Spiegel that Ukraine’s support must be borne by Europe, including financially. Every EU country must make its fair contribution in accordance with its economic capacity. The SPD politician stated that it is therefore correct to link Ukraine financing with EU budget negotiations, explaining that this is a matter of fair burden sharing. He added that European solidarity must not be a one-way street.
Markus Töns, SPD spokesperson for European policy in the Bundestag, said he does not see Merz’s proposal as blackmail, but rather as a “robust expression of opinion.” Töns stated that financial aid for Ukraine is essential. However, he noted that linking it to the multi-year financial framework does not make the decision about the EU budget easier. The SPD politician told Spiegel that in all budget debates, they must maintain a balance between good cooperation and the adequate provision of essential needs.
The Greens support the Chancellor on the issue but criticize his approach. Deborah Düring, Greens foreign policy spokesperson in the Bundestag, told Spiegel that Ukraine needs reliable financing to continue defending against the brutal war of aggression by Russia. She agreed that it is right for Merz to advocate for more support for Ukraine from European partners. However, she stated that “the current approach of the self-proclaimed foreign chancellor” appears “diplomatically extremely clumsy.”
