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Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) during her visit to Israel: “Generational project of the European Security and Defense Union”
Photo: Maya Alleruzzo / AP
The special fund for the Bundeswehr promised by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will soon be two years old. Now a debate has broken out about whether the 100 billion euros are even enough. Before the Munich Security Conference, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) spoke out in favor of an increase.
With a view to stronger European cooperation in defense, Baerbock explained on Thursday: "It is clear that the current special fund will not be sufficient for this, but must be significantly increased in the future." Investments in the "generational project of the European Security and Defense Union" could not " One-year budgets and subject to the debt brake."
“Security has its price,” added Baerbock. The Green politician reiterated her call for a "security and defense union that strengthens the European pillar in NATO" - regardless of who is in power in the USA.
The threat of former US President Donald Trump, who was seeking re-election, to refuse military assistance to defaulting NATO members had fueled the debate about higher long-term defense spending.
This week, CDU defense politician Roderich Kiesewetter also spoke out in favor of increasing the Bundeswehr's special funds: He brought an increase from 100 to 300 billion euros into play. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), however, spoke out in favor of a permanent increase in the defense budget. Another special fund is not his “favorite” option.
Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock called for strengthening European defense capabilities, particularly with a view to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. "In the next few years it will no longer just be about supporting Ukraine militarily," she explained. "We Europeans must be able to defend ourselves better, as laid out in the National Security Strategy."
mrc/AFP