German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party of maintaining close ties with Moscow and mocking Ukraine’s suffering during a heated exchange in parliament.
Speaking in the Bundestag on Thursday, Merz was defending Germany’s support for Ukraine when laughter reportedly came from the AfD benches after he said Kyiv had been fighting for its freedom for more than four years.
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“You laugh at the fate of millions of people in this country and travel to Moscow for champagne receptions. Have a good trip there,” he added.
AfD has frequently criticized military aid for Kyiv and called for restoring relations with Moscow, positions that have drawn criticism from mainstream German parties.
Merz defends support for Ukraine
The chancellor used his government policy speech ahead of next week’s EU summit to reaffirm Berlin’s commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.
“Ukraine is defending not only its freedom but also our freedom,” Merz said. “It is defending freedom and security throughout Europe.”
He added that Germany would continue strengthening NATO’s eastern flank while supporting efforts to reach a negotiated end to the war.
According to Merz, any durable peace settlement would require the participation of Ukraine, Russia, the US and Europe.
Chancellor backs closer EU ties for Ukraine
Merz also reiterated support for Ukraine’s future integration into the EU.
British, French and German Envoys Hold Talks in Russian Foreign Ministry
He said Ukraine had achieved significant reform progress despite the war and suggested steps that could deepen cooperation before full membership.
Among his proposals were allowing Ukrainian representatives to participate in EU institutions, including summits and discussions in the European Parliament, without voting rights.
At the same time, Merz stressed that full EU membership would remain dependent on meeting accession criteria.
“We will support Ukraine in its defense against Russia for as long as necessary,” he said.
On Saturday, Politico reported that NATO member states are negotiating a new €70 billion ($81 billion) military aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to be formally announced during the upcoming Alliance summit in Ankara.
The initiative, proposed by Germany, aims to establish a clear financial benchmark and introduce a transparent tracking mechanism to ensure a more equitable distribution of the financial burden among allies.
The proposed funding structure plans to draw roughly €30 billion ($35 billion) from an already approved €90 billion ($104 billion) EU loan, with the remaining €40 billion ($46 billion) covered by individual nations through bilateral support programs.
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