.png)
German (DE) 
English (US) 
Spanish (ES) 
French (FR) 
Hindi (IN) 
Italian (IT) 
Russian (RU) 
5 hours ago
1
DPA
Tue, March 18, 2025 at 12:06 PM UTC
1 min read
Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), speaks during the 214th plenary session of the 20th legislative period in the German Parliament (Bundestag). Lawmakers in Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, are set to vote on Tuesday on a highly debated €500 billion ($547 billion) spending package, aimed at revitalizing infrastructure and advancing climate initiatives, as well as measures to boost defence spending. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Friedrich Merz, Germany's likely next leader, said that €3 billion ($3.3 billion) in additional aid for Ukraine could be released by Friday.
The money would flow following a vote in the lower house of parliament on Tuesday on a massive spending plan and easing of the country's strict fiscal rules.
The parties pushing the package said they have the needed support to pass the measures. It must also pass the upper house or Bundesrat, where a vote is set for Friday.
If the plan goes through, the Ukraine aid is likely to be the first direct consequence.
Merz made his comments at a meeting of the parliamentary group of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Berlin on Tuesday morning, according to participants in that meeting.
Comments