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Germany ready for military leadership in Europe

2022-09-13 18:06:03Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA MATTHIAS VON HEIN
Germany ready for military leadership in Europe
German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht wants more German military responsibility in Europe, easier military exports and more funding for the German military.

"Bundeswehri: The basis of security," could be read on the wall behind Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht when she appeared on Monday at the German Association for Foreign Policy, DGAP in Berlin to give a keynote speech on Germany's role after the war in Ukraine with title: "Implications of the changing era for Germany's national security strategy." The speech of the social democratic politician and the debate after it were received with great interest. The public hoped to be informed of the German government's position on the supply of arms to Ukraine. Ukraine's recent successes on the battlefield have ignited not only fantasy, but also discussion about the supply of heavy weapons. Not only the CDU/CSU opposition is demanding the delivery of heavy combat weapons to Ukraine. The request also comes from the ranks of the coalition, the Greens and the Liberals.

Not isolated actions

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said a clear no to requests for the supply of battle tanks. No other country has sent Western-type battle tanks, she said, in line with the government's official line, according to which the supply of weapons is done in agreement with complete with NATO partners. Lambrecht said openly that the Bundeswehr does not possess many weapons. Many things are on paper, but not ready for use. On Friday, the General Secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, said that it is more important to help Ukraine than to keep the warehouses filled according to the plan. "By preventing Russia from winning in Ukraine, we also increase our security and strengthen the alliance," Stoltenberg said at a press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Leadership role against the will

Lambrecht emphasized Germany's claim to a leading role in Europe also from the military side. Such a role belongs to Germany, simply because of its size, even against German will. Germany does not seek this leadership role simply out of a desire to rule, but "to give strength to the peace order". Germany is a member of alliances, has a "clear view of power and the military element", has strong institutions and a peaceful culture. Therefore, no one should be afraid of Germany's leadership role. Based on this argumentation, Lambrecht expressed willingness to bear greater responsibility and invest more in security.

Even the American ambassador to Germany, Amy Gutmann, spoke of Germany's "leading role". The American diplomat spoke on the second German television, ZDf, with caution for more German support for Kiev. Germany wants to take more of a leadership role. "We hope and expect that Germany will fulfill this", said Gutmann, adding that we must do everything we can.

A leading role for Germany in Europe was previously announced by the co-chairman of the SPD, Lars Klingbeil, a challenge for the social democrats, for whom even the expression of such a claim is a challenge. "The politics of peace for me is to see even military violence as a legitimate means of politics." In its agreement, the German coalition with the agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP wanted to define the governing mandate with notions such as freedom, justice and environmental sustainability, but with the war in Ukraine, other notions have emerged; armament, supply of weapons, energy crisis, inflation. With Chancellor Scholz's speech about the "turn of the ages" many political positions in Germany had to be changed.

Germany ready for military leadership in Europe
The German Chancellor visits the training program for Ukrainian soldiers who will use the German Gepard tanks

Arms cooperation, arms exports, more responsibility for Europe

Lambrecht was most clear on the subject of military cooperation. In her speech she referred to an obvious problem in the common European development and production of weapons. German armament directives. Germany retains the right of veto until now on the export of weapons produced in cooperation with partners to third countries. This weakens the will of partners France, Great Britain or Italy for cooperation, countries that have fewer restrictions on the supply of weapons to countries outside NATO. The Minister of Defense announced that these directives will be reviewed, for a long time this initiative was almost unimaginable.

Lambrecht prepared the German people for long-term military spending. Ukraine today only exists because it could be defended, said Lambrecht, adding that Germany also needs a strong army to defend itself in case of need. As a whole, we Europeans must "make a greater contribution to our security", emphasized the German minister. She referred to the US focus on the Pacific area and the current tensions "on the Taiwan road" with China. Europe must develop "strengths and capabilities that make us stronger and more reliable".

According to Lambrecht, "a change with the effect of the times requires more funds, therefore the 100 billion as a special fund for the Bundeswehr is a necessary step, in order to invest again in the combat power and operational capability of the Bundeswehr after the "savings years". Germany will invest in the future 2% of the gross domestic product for armaments, an objective that the NATO countries had foreseen since 2014. All these plans require a change of mentality, a "change of culture", according to the minister. She proposed a "Safety Day" for the future. /DW


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