Pistorius fights for more funds for the Bundeswehr
To expand and reduce the Bundeswehr, Defense Minister Pistorius needs a lot of money. However, only minimal increases are planned for his budget in the upcoming year's budget proposal. He explained the consequences.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius informed soldiers and soldiers that he would continue to fight for a larger defense budget. He wrote in a jointly issued order to the "Spiegel," according to reports, that he would "continue to fight so that the defense budget can increase in the coming years as quickly as possible to meet the needs of the Bundeswehr."
Pistorius expressed disappointment over the coalition's budget planning. "The result is not what we had imagined and needed," wrote the minister. The Bundeswehr "needs more money quickly."
The coalition's top figures reached an agreement on budget points for the following year in early July. The agreement called for a smaller defense budget than that demanded by Minister Pistorius. He had requested approximately 58 billion Euros, but the compromise only allows for around 53 billion Euros. The defense budget is expected to reach around 80 billion Euros by 2028.
The decision means "we cannot start all the projects that the threat situation requires," wrote Pistorius in the order. The Bundeswehr's needs "will be significantly higher than the current budget plan's assumption in the coming two years," it continued. Security is "not at a zero tariff."
Pistorius urged that the Bundeswehr's modernization must proceed quickly. "Russia can probably build up its armed forces to a level that it could attack NATO territory within fewer years," he warned. "We must prepare ourselves for this starting now."
Boris Pistorius criticized the coalition's budget planning, as the agreed budget for the defense sector was less than what he had requested. This household policy decision in politics potentially hinders the Federal military's modernization and readiness, as Pistorius noted that the budget assumption will be significantly higher than the current plan in the upcoming two years.
