The most important things for you this Thursday:

Patrick Schlereth

Editor on duty at FAZ.NET.

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1. Can the Bundeswehr meet NATO's requirements?


2. What is Putin's anti-Western alliance?


3. No all-clear on inflation


4. The combustion engine dispute continues


5. Who can still get free corona tests


6. The DFB campus is opened


7. That will change in July

You can also listen to the FAZ Early Thinker - click here for the podcast

1. Can the Bundeswehr meet NATO's requirements?

The NATO summit in Madrid ends today.

The alliance is preparing for a confrontation with Russia.

Strengthening troops is a challenge for the Bundeswehr.

Conclusion:

At the end of the two-day NATO summit in Madrid, today is about the fight against terrorism.

The food crisis triggered by the Ukraine war and the increasing influence of Russia and China on Africa are also on the agenda.

Host Spain in particular had insisted that the summit deal with the southern neighborhood.

Concept:

On Wednesday, NATO adopted a strategic concept in which it classifies Russia as the “most immediate threat to the security of its allies and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area”.

The 30 member states therefore decided on a new troop structure with more than 300,000 troops on increased readiness and further reinforcements on the eastern flank.

Support for Ukraine is to be increased.

"Ukraine can count on us for as long as it takes," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Bundeswehr:

According to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), 15,000 German soldiers are to be kept ready for the defense of the alliance - significantly more than before.

In the case of both the airborne and the maritime component, thousands more soldiers are likely to be involved.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl (SPD), spoke to the “Augsburger Allgemeine” of “great efforts” in terms of personnel, equipment and infrastructure.

The CDU party chairman Friedrich Merz called for more money, the chairman of the defense committee, Maries-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), contradicted: More important than the question of financing is the question of the organization, she told the FAZ "Hard situations require quick decisions."

more on the subject

FAZ Podcast for Germany: Ex-NATO strategist - "Only the beginning of Putin's war against us"

2. What is Putin's anti-Western alliance?

Indonesian President Widodo wants to mediate in the Ukraine war and is visiting Kremlin chief Putin today.

He's already working on anti-Western alliances.

Mediator:

When Russian President Vladimir Putin receives his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo today, he has just returned from a meeting with the Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyj in Kiev.

Widodo tries to be a peace mediator in the Ukraine war.

As the host of the G-20 summit in Bali in November, he not only invited Zelenskyy, but also Putin.

The Kremlin confirmed its participation - whether in person or via video link initially remained open.