Sanctions against Russia
Acting jointly within the EU and in close consultation with its G7 partners, Germany has adopted sanctions in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. As of 15 January 2026, the EU has adopted 19 sanctions packages against Russia. These packages contain far-reaching measures that aim in particular to severely weaken the Russian economy and the country’s political elite. The sanctions are having an important impact.
You can find an overview of the adopted sanctions on the Federal Government’s website.
The Federal Economic Affairs Ministry has compiled a list of FAQs on the sanctions against Russia (in German).
To ensure that sanctions are implemented as effectively as possible, the German government adopted two Sanctions Enforcement Acts in 2022. The first Sanctions Enforcement Act put key short-term measures in place, and the second Sanctions Enforcement Act introduced major structural improvements. More information on sanctions enforcement is available here.
Bilateral support for Ukraine
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the German federal government has provided bilateral non-military support for Ukraine totalling approximately €39bn. It has also provided, or made available for the coming years, military support totalling approximately €55bn (31 December 2025 figures).
The Federal Ministry of Finance is responsible for a significant portion of the bilateral non-military assistance (€7.91 bn). The Finance Ministry’s focus is on helping the Länder and local authorities financially and logistically in their efforts to provide accommodation and assistance for Ukrainian refugees. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the federal government has supported the Länder in this task with lump-sum contributions, while the Institute for Federal Real Estate has made federal properties available rent-free.
In addition, Germany is providing financial aid to safeguard the Ukrainian state’s capacity for action. This includes a transfer to an account that is administered for Ukraine by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as a temporary debt service suspension. As part of its responsibility for Wiedergutmachung (Germany’s efforts to make amends for crimes committed by the Nazi regime), the Federal Ministry of Finance also supports Holocaust survivors in Ukraine via the Claims Conference.
The Federal Government’s website provides an overview of all the bilateral assistance measures that Germany has taken since the start of the war.
Multilateral financial assistance for Ukraine
In addition to bilateral measures, Germany also assists Ukraine within the framework of the EU and international development banks such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Since the war broke out, the G7 (including the EU) and international financial institutions have been working together to provide direct, short-term budgetary assistance to Ukraine in order to ensure that the country has the financial means to continue functioning effectively. In 2024, the G7 countries jointly decided to provide loans totalling $50 billion to Ukraine. The loans will be serviced and repaid from the extraordinary revenues (windfall profits) accumulated by central securities as a result of the immobilisation of Russian Central Bank assets. These funds are released for use by the European Commission within the framework of the Ukraine loan cooperation mechanism. The Russian assets themselves, and the interest on them, belong to Russia and are not used. The EU contribution of €18.1 billion is being disbursed to Ukraine in regular tranches as exceptional macro-financial assistance over the course of 2025. A first tranche of €3 billion was transferred to Ukraine in January 2025. The remaining payments will be made by the end of the year.
Over $30 billion in international budgetary assistance for Ukraine was mobilised in 2022 under Germany’s G7 presidency. G7 budgetary assistance for Ukraine was increased to $39 billion in 2023. The EU’s Ukraine Facility is providing a further €50 billion in financial assistance between 2024 and 2027. The EBRD’s engagement in Ukraine to date totals €6.2 billion (2022: €1.7 billion, 2023: €2.1 billion and 2024: €2.4 billion). Most of these funds are focused on the private sector (including public companies) in the areas of energy, infrastructure, food security and trade. The EBRD also cooperates with other multilateral development banks in the transport and telecommunications sectors. The Council of Europe Bank (CEB) supports Ukraine as well, especially in the area of housing (with more than €400 million in 2024).
Debt service suspension for Ukraine
Key information at a glance
Current information on the situation in Ukraine and on security
- germany4ukraine.de is the German government’s central online portal for refugees from Ukraine. This website offers important information from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees to help Ukrainian refugees find their bearings in Germany.
- The German government also provides information on recent developments in the war (in German), security and defence measures (in German), and military support for Ukraine.
- The Federal Foreign Office website provides information about the current situation in Ukraine (in German).
Working in Germany
- The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has put together a comprehensive list of FAQs on working and social benefits in Germany.
- The Federal Employment Agency’s website offers information on advisory services and further assistance for refugees.
- The website Faire Integration has information for refugees who have already applied for asylum about their rights as workers in Germany. Here is an overview of advice centres. The advice services are free of charge and are also available in Ukrainian and Russian in some places.
How can I help?
- Many of us have a strong desire to support people in Ukraine and refugees from Ukraine. This overview by the Federal Government (in German) shows what you can do to help.
- If you would like to make a donation to help people in Ukraine and refugees from Ukraine, you can give money to Germany’s relief coalition Aktion Deutschland Hilft or the disaster relief alliance Aktionsbündnis Katastrophenhilfe, among other charities.
- Answers to common questions about tax measures to support people harmed by the war in Ukraine are available here (in German).
Countering disinformation
- The Federal Ministry of the Interior provides answers to key questions about disinformation in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.