It was Boris Pistorius' second appearance at the Munich Security Conference as Defense Minister. In his opinion, an increase in NATO's 2% target could become necessary.
By Tim Aßmann and Kilian Neuwert, BR
This is no time to sugarcoat reality, said Boris Pistorius at the Munich Security Conference. In his speech, the SPD politician indicated that he would like to see greater investment in defense capabilities. He encouraged flexibility and spoke out against adhering to exact numbers.
Pistorius believes that the objective agreed between NATO countries of investing at least two percent of the national gross domestic product in defense may have to be revised upwards: “We may reach three or even 3.5 percent. That depends on the what's happening in the world.” .” It's about having enough money available, said the minister.
Pistorius thinks globally
In view of the time when the Bundeswehr's special funds will run out, he said: “I don't know where we will find the money, but we need it.” Although investments in education and infrastructure are also necessary, without security everything is “nothing”.
Unlike his predecessors, he defines his role as Minister of Defense in a broader and more global way. He took advantage of his speech in Munich to offer partnerships to countries in the so-called Global South, including supplying weapons. He believes this is also conceivable with countries in Africa whose legal and democratic standards do not always match German standards. Is this possible in a coalition with the Greens? Pistorius thinks out loud and starts discussions. His pressure on this issue can be seen as representative of his style in the ministerial office.
Anti-aircraft missiles and more ammunition for Ukraine
Pistorius supports military aid to Ukraine like no other in the federal government. The war in that country will decide whether an imperialist power will be allowed to impose its will on another sovereign state, he said on stage in Munich.
Upon arriving in Munich, he explained the details of the latest aid package worth around 1.1 billion euros. Germany promises, among other things, to deliver another 100 IRIS-T anti-aircraft missiles and 122 mm caliber artillery shells to Ukraine this year. A further 18 tanks and wheeled howitzers are expected to be launched by 2027. The weapons should come from industry. The Bundeswehr itself does not yet have wheeled howitzers of this type.
Last year, Pistorius spoke of himself as a “child of the Cold War”. Germany, the minister said at the time, was once NATO's eastern flank. The alliance partners would have guaranteed this in this country. Now, for him, it is “natural that we Germans experience the same solidarity today”. The statement was related to German engagement along NATO's eastern flank, where Bundeswehr soldiers are deployed as part of NATO missions.
More: “We’re not there yet”
Pistorius' second appearance at the security conference almost coincided with the two-year anniversary of the “turning point”. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered the relevant speech on February 27, 2022 – three days after the Russian attack on Ukraine. In this context, the army inspector, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, complained in a social media post that the Bundeswehr was “more or less empty”.
At the Munich Security Conference, Mais drew a mixed conclusion: “We have made great progress, but we have not yet reached our objective,” said the head of the German army in an interview with ARD. Structures, processes and training have changed and acquisitions have accelerated. He also asked for patience. Special assets materialize in contract signatures. However, the signature does not mean that the material will be “on the farm the next day”. Industry needs time to produce, infrastructure needs to be built and troops need to be trained accordingly.
Four big tasks for Pistorius
The president of the Bundeswehr Association, Colonel André Wüstner, sees 2024 as a “decisive year” for Defense Minister Pistorius. There are four main tasks ahead, Wüstner told ARD. It should implement higher defense expenditures in the federal budget and, together with other departments, accelerate the development of defense industry capabilities and the path to fully equipping the armed forces. What is also crucial is how he wants to make the Bundeswehr structurally more “fit for war” in a timely manner.
Wüstner also sees the need for action on right-to-service issues so that, on the one hand, the recruitment and retention of personnel and, on the other hand, the creation of a military brigade in Lithuania can proceed as the federal government has promised its NATO partners. An operational army unit with around 4,800 soldiers will be permanently stationed there from 2027. For the first time in German history. Until now, Germany has replaced Lithuania's significantly smaller associations every six months on a rotational basis.