Politics National Council cuts credit for foreign aid at the expense of Ukraine

The National Council wants to make just under CHF 11 billion available to the federal government for foreign aid over the next four years, less than the Federal Council requested. This was decided on Thursday in the settlement of differences.

This means that slightly less money than previously is available for the International Cooperation Strategy (IC) for the years 2025 to 2028. And only CHF 1.3 billion is available for Ukraine instead of the CHF 1.5 billion requested by the Federal Council.

Like the Council of States, the National Council had initially approved the CHF 11.3 billion requested by the Federal Council for foreign aid. A reduction to CHF 10.3 billion was very narrowly rejected, but the spending brake was not released.

In the second round, however, the National Council adopted a motion by the SVP and FDP for a cut of CHF 351 million, by 96 votes to 95 with four abstentions. CHF 200 million will be charged to Ukraine, with the rest going to development cooperation.