Posted originally on Aug 26, 2025 by Martin Armstrong |  

Poland’s president has vetoed a bill that would extend aid to Ukrainian refugees. Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist conservative, commented that Ukrainians “make the effort to work in Poland” and pay taxes in the country in order to be eligible for support. Nawrocki, whose own party approved of the initial aid to Ukrainians, stated that the current financial package “places us in a situation where citizens of Poland are treated worse in their own country than our guests.”

Over 1.5 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Poland has offered every single refugee a taxpayer-subsidized life. Ukrainians living in Poland are eligible for free housing, food benefits, health care, education, child allowances, and more.  Ukrainian refugees were often favored for subsidized housing over nationals who may have been waiting years for council housing. Nawrocki stated he was concerned with the 800+ program that provided families with children an 800 zloty monthly payment per child, regardless of income. The president felt that only those working should receive this benefit, but why should the public be paying out this fund at all?

The head of the president’s chancellery, Zbigniew Bogucki, commented that “for Ukrainians who legally work in Poland, reside, run their own business, and pay taxes, there is nothing to worry about.” Despite the similarities in culture, there is a growing discontent for Ukrainian refugees in Poland due to the government prioritizing newcomers. That is how xenophobia traditionally comes about—the last one “off the boat” is seen as the outsider.

Poland created an Aid Fund operated by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) funded partially by the European Investment Bank and the EU, which finances local governments and organizations to support Ukrainian refugees. A  €2 billion loan was approved for 2025 through the Aid Fund, including €600 million disbursed by the European Investment Bank (EIB). Assistance for Ukrainian refugees in Poland is estimated to have reached around 15.9 billion zlotys (roughly €3.5 billion) this year.

Perhaps Polish leaders underestimated the duration of the war. The Polish government spent 1% of GDP on Ukraine during the first three months of the war in 2022. Poland has continued to raise military spending and direct aid for Ukraine year after year. Yet, the president has been condemned for taking a “Poles first” stance and tightening its social program. The true nationalists do not believe he is doing enough for his nation, while the others see him as cruel. In the EU, anything aside from unconditional blind support from Ukraine is seen as a selfish act. There is no room for nationalism in Brussels.

Posted originally on Aug 26, 2025 by Martin Armstrong |  

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz does not have the ability to manage Europe’s top economy. “The welfare state that we have today can no longer be financed with what we produce in the economy,” Merz said in a recent meeting. At the same time, Merz agreed to begin sending Ukraine 9 billion euros annually in addition to all other aid.

Merz tried to claim there would “not be any increase in income tax on medium-sized companies in Germany with this federal government under my leadership.” SPD Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil disagrees, and said that middle and high-income citizens could race an increased tax burden. “I’m not satisfied with what we have achieved thus far,” the chancellor said. “It has to be more.”

Merz campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility. Then he left Germany’s borders open and worked to find a loophole in the Constitution to fund Ukraine endlessly without any caps. The German welfare state cost taxpayers €20.2 billion ($23.6 billion) in 2024. Public spending accounted for 49.5% of all economic output in 2024.

Lars Klingbeil stated that Germany’s federal budget will face a €30 billion shortfall by 2027. His solution is clearly to increase taxes. “Especially people with high income and high net worth have to ask themselves: What am I contributing to make this country fairer?” He added: “Most of the time, I see people with very high incomes and very large fortunes making a strong appeal to the whole country that everyone should work harder and longer. But I don’t think that does justice to the pension debate that we really need to be having in Germany.”

Germans have one of the highest tax burdens in Europe. Yet, by 2029, Germany is expecting to take on €851 billion worth of new debt. The war on the energy sector, perpetual spending on Ukraine, and open borders are crippling the German economy. German lawmakers would like to cut back on payments for citizens who spend a lifetime paying into the system. Germany spent 14.8% more in 2024 on an annualized basis on basic income support and nursing health care to the tune of €20.2 billion. Around €11.4 billion of those funds were spent on pensioners and those unwilling to work. In 2025, the nation will spend €43 billion on the citizens’ stipend or Bürgergeld scheme that provides basic income for the unemployed (not including pensioners or those with disabilities).

Merz plans to cut spending for the Bürgergeld scheme. He plans to increase taxation on pensions, although over half of German pensioners currently receive payouts below the poverty line. Merz will place a cap on the amount welfare recipients can use toward housing. While some of these cuts are necessary, Merz fails to acknowledge the elephant in the room—YOU’RE SENDING BILLIONS PER YEAR TO A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT!

Why should the German people be forced to send 9 billion euros to a foreign government annually? The people have been forced to send public funds and soon the people will be forced to send their sons and daughters to fight a unwinnable war. Germany’s leaders have put domestic policies last in favor of globalist neocon ambitions. The nation is already in a recession and the government continues to implement policies that are pushing the nation further into ruin.