BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday that he does not expect the United States to halt military aid to Ukraine after President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and other lawmakers have criticised Chancellor Olaf Scholz for refusing further military aid to Kyiv. #EuropeNews

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s latest demand is likely to stall a €3 billion aid package to the war-ravaged country as Russian forces continue their advance.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands firm: aid for Ukraine should be financed by suspending the debt brake. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has accused Scholz of using this issue for political gain during the election campaign,

The current caution over the aid package clashes with Scholz’s earlier strong support for arming Ukraine; Germany has given 16 percent of all aid to Kyiv, second only to the United States. The standoff over the €3 billion package meant Pistorius showed up in Kyiv earlier this week with very little to offer.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz does not expect the United States to cut aid to Ukraine after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, reports The Guardian. At a press conference in Berlin, Scholz said he had spoken with Trump twice after the US election and added that the parties were engaged in an “intense” diplomatic dialogue.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he has spoken with President-elect Donald Trump twice since the election, emphasizing “intensive” diplomatic dialogue between Europe and the United States. Read also: Trump aides acknowledge Ukraine war resolution could take months “I am confident that the strong cooperation between Europe and the U.