The key facts

  • Frohnmaier criticized the allocation of 200 million euros in winter aid to Ukraine after Zelensky's visit to Berlin
  • The deputy said that in winter more than five million residents of Germany may face difficulties heating their homes
  • Wadephul said the AfD's position has nothing to do with German patriotism

Clash in the Bundestag after Zelensky's visit

A verbal altercation broke out in the Bundestag between Markus Frohnmaier, deputy head of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) faction, and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. The trigger was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Berlin, after which the government allocated 200 million euros to Kyiv as part of winter aid. Frohnmaier posted a video of the session on the social network X ; it was noticed by Gazeta.Ru and Life.ru.

AfD's complaints and the minister's response

Yesterday Mr. Zelensky came to visit us. You allocated him 200 million euros as part of the so-called winter aid. At the same time, our government cannot find funds to support Germans, more than five million residents of Germany may face difficulties heating their homes, and he demanded an explanation of why funds can be found for Ukraine while similar support for Germans is not provided.

The Foreign Ministry's position and context

Wadephul disagreed with the complaints: he said that such a position has

Background of the disputes over spending

This is not the first such conflict in German politics: earlier, according to Life.ru, Sahra Wagenknecht criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for sending suitcases full of money to Zelensky — the trigger was statements by CDU/CSU faction leader Thorsten Frei about the need to tighten belts in 2027. Wagenknecht then called such a policy detached from reality and demanded an end to supporting Ukraine at the expense of Germans. Thus, the dispute over the 200 million euros continues the ongoing discussion in Germany about distributing budget funds between aid to Kyiv and domestic social spending.