After the coalition agreement - Pistorius: "The troops must be able to do their job"
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) will initially focus on the ongoing operations in the Bundeswehr given the tight budgets. He has given the clear instruction that readiness and training will take priority in the coming year, Pistorius said on Monday at the US Military Base Eielson in Alaska, where the German Air Force is training with partners from the USA, Spain, and France for a joint combat against an attacker.
"The troops must be able to do their job. That's what matters. That means all necessary material must flow in and be replaced. What can be allocated to larger projects next year or not, that will be shown in the coming months in Berlin," Pistorius added. He also made it clear that he does not want to continue disputes over the budget draft of the traffic light coalition before the NATO summit. Pistorius said: "We are at the beginning of a large exercise. That's what matters most. Everything else will be discussed in the coming weeks in Berlin."
The defense budget, currently at around 52 billion Euros, is expected to grow by only about 1.2 billion Euros. Pistorius had demanded more and an exception for these expenses from the debt brake. There is significant criticism, even within the traffic light coalition. Pistorius said about the budget draft: "We'll see what develops in the coming weeks and months. I have to adapt and make the best of it."
General Inspector: What use is equipment if soldiers can't operate it?
"Given the threat situation, we need consolidation," said General Inspector Breuer to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung." The 100-billion special fund will be legally bound by the end of the year. With the acquisition of new weapons systems, operating costs have also increased. "What good is new equipment if the soldiers can't operate it?" He warned that Russia could turn against NATO countries around 2029, therefore deterrence is so important. "The Russian armed forces plan to increase to 1.5 million soldiers, that's more soldiers and soldiers than in the entire EU."
The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND): "We need a discussion about how much security is worth to us and what we are willing to give up if we anchor the two percent long-term in the budget."
Habeck: The Bundeswehr is "empty"
Chancellor Habeck defended the budget proposal before the start of his summer trip in Stuttgart: The proposal adheres to the conditions we have given ourselves in the constitution, i.e. the debt brake. One could perhaps discuss the fact that the debt brake has only been observed in the last few years due to the fact that the large defense expenditures were not sufficiently financed sufficiently. The two percent goal was not achieved by the Merkel government. "The consequence is that the Bundeswehr's stocks are empty." The official goal of NATO is for each country to contribute at least two percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually to defense. The financial conditions did not fit the security situation in Germany. This is my personal opinion and that of my party, there is no unity in the federal government on this matter.
SPD General Secretary wishes for "small summer break"
On the other hand, Kühnt hopes for calm in the debate. "Concrete discussions about corrections to the budget make sense only when the draft budget of the cabinet has been adopted. This will be the case on July 17," Kühnt told the "Rheinische Post." "At least until then, the Berlin political scene and the people in the country should be given a little summer break." Kühnt considers the compromise of the traffic light coalition as "a good basis" for further budget negotiations.
Pistorius informs himself about Luftwaffe maneuvers before NATO summit
From the Luftwaffenbasis Eielson, Kampfpilots from several countries trained under German leadership in air warfare operations according to NATO standards on Monday. The alliance defense scenario ("Article 5"), in which an attack on one or more allies is collectively repelled, is being practiced. Approximately 60 combat jets, as well as other tank aircraft, transport planes, and helicopters, are involved. They practice the destruction of the enemy's air defense and the combat against enemy air forces and the destruction of command centers. The Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) are also involved with exercises in hostage rescue and the introduction of air strikes from the ground.
Pistorius traveled directly to Washington after that. The NATO summit begins on Tuesday with celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the defense alliance. It takes place in a phase of political uncertainty, as the suitability of US President Joe Biden as a presidential candidate has been publicly questioned. It is unclear where the USA are heading if the former US President Donald Trump returns to the White House in the US election in November. He had at times even threatened to withdraw the US from the alliance and criticized Germany in particular.
"75 years of NATO. In the face of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, this military alliance is as relevant and significant as ever, and one could even say, as it has not been for decades," said Pistorius in Alaska before his further journey. The Inspector of the Air Force, Ingo Gerhartz, described the exercise series with deployments also in the Indo-Pacific region as "the largest and most complex thing we have ever done with the Air Force."
- Boris Pistorius, the SPD's Defense Minister, emphasized the importance of readiness and training for the Bundeswehr, given the tight budgets, during his visit to the US Military Base Eielson in Alaska.
- Pistorius stressed that the troops must be able to perform their duties effectively, implying the need for sufficient resources and equipment.
- At the NATO summit, Pistorius will avoid discussing budget disputes, focusing instead on the importance of collective defense and deterrence against potential threats.
- The German Air Force is currently training with US, Spanish, and French partners at the Eielson base, preparing for joint combat against an attacker.
- General Inspector Breuer highlighted the need for consolidation given the threat situation, expressing concern over the capability of soldiers to operate new equipment.
- Habeck, the German Chancellor, acknowledged the 'empty' state of the Bundeswehr due to insufficient financing of defense expenditures in the past, emphasizing the need to reach the 2% NATO defense spending target.
- Christoph Heusgen, head of the Munich Security Conference, called for a discussion about the value of security and potential compromises regarding long-term budget allocations.
- During the Luftwaffenbasis Eielson maneuvers, pilots from different nations practiced air warfare operations according to NATO standards, involving hundreds of combat jets and other aerial assets.
- Pistorius traveled to Washington after observing these Luftwaffe maneuvers, participating in the NATO summit as the alliance celebrates its 75th anniversary and faces political uncertainty.
- The Air Force Inspector, Ingo Gerhartz, described these exercise series, which include deployments in the Indo-Pacific region, as the most complex operations the German Armed Forces have ever undertaken.
- Robert Habeck, the German Vice Chancellor and SPD leader, hoped for calm in the budget debate, emphasizing that concrete negotiations should only take place after the approval of the cabinet's draft budget on July 17.
