Alisa Weidel, leader of «Alternative for Germany», has stated that, should her party come to power, it would seek to halt financial and military support for Ukraine and demand the return of funds already provided. Following the AfD’s success in the Saxony-Anhalt election, she called on Chancellor Friedrich Merz to change the policy towards Kyiv, whilst the current government has promised to maintain its support.
Briefly about the main points
- The AfD wants to end financial and military support for Ukraine.
- Weidel proposes demanding the reimbursement of German expenditure that has already been accounted for.
- She adds compensation for the repairs to the «Nord Stream» pipeline to the list of demands.
- Merz confirmed in the Bundestag that support for Kyiv would continue.
- The EU’s €90 billion loan package has a separate repayment mechanism.
What exactly is the AfD leader proposing?
During a political event AfD 25 January Weidel She stated that Germany had invested over 70 billion euros in Ukraine, including military aid. «We will demand the return of these billions — plus the repair of the “Nord Stream” pipeline,» she said.
This figure represents a policy estimate of the total volume of German expenditure and commitments, rather than merely the funds directly transferred to the Ukrainian budget. Berlin’s official methodology takes into account, in particular, supplies from Bundeswehr units, the training of Ukrainian military personnel, support for refugees in Germany, guarantees and future expenditure.
The demand regarding «Nord Stream» is also a political statement by Weidel. The investigation into the gas pipeline explosions is ongoing, and the German government is not commenting on the substance of the matter due to the independence of the judiciary.
Berlin’s current policy and the EU’s separate mechanism
Weidel criticises the government Mertsa for her support of Ukraine, arguing that this policy is leading to an escalation of the conflict with Russia. Her call gained prominence following the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD won 39 of the 83 seats — three short of an absolute majority. Foreign policy and the federal budget fall within Berlin’s remit.
During a debate in the Bundestag, the Chancellor stated that Germany would continue to support Ukraine. The federal budget for 2026 provides for around 11.5 billion euros in military aid to Kyiv.
Separately, in 2026–2027, an agreed EU mechanism worth 90 billion euros will be in place. This is a loan provided within the framework of enhanced cooperation between 24 states, rather than bilateral aid from Germany. According to the German Government’s explanation, Ukraine’s obligation to repay this loan will arise once Russia has paid reparations; provision is also made for the possibility of utilising Russian assets frozen in the EU, subject to compliance with EU and international law.
