German Defence Minister warns of economic fallout if US stalls on military aid for Ukraine

As reported by Bloomberg, the German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, urged American lawmakers to approve additional military aid to Ukraine. Across the pond, internal political wrangling between Republicans and Democrats has led to a stalemate on aid, affecting not just Ukraine but also Israel and Taiwan.

Pistorius cautioned that a failure to assist the Ukrainians in their conflict could negatively affect American economic interests. In an interview conducted during the Munich Security Conference, Pistorius emphasised that unchecked aggression from the Kremlin could destabilise Europe and disrupt trade relations with the world's largest economy— Bloomberg suggests.

The German defence minister noted that our transatlantic cooperation entails hundreds of contracts worth billions of dollars. He added that they plan to draft new agreements and underscored that the security alliance yields considerable benefits for both parties.

He also highlighted the implications of Ukraine's defeat, not only for Europe but also for the US. He expressed that the invasion by Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a risk to the "international order based on principles". He emphasised that although Europe may be geographically removed from Iowa or Wisconsin, it is closely tied to security policy. He added that lower security in Europe equates to diminished security in the United States.

Pistorius stressed that we should never take freedom for granted. We must defend it and, if necessary, fight for it— we read.

The US Senate has approved an aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, totalling 95 billion dollars. The Senate has forwarded the package to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where it appears to have less chance of being adopted.