Germany’s defence minister on Thursday, the 9th of October, announced plans to strengthen the country’s army to make it the backbone of Europe’s collective defence as Berlin published new defence policy guidelines for the first time in more than a decade, reports Reuters.
The 19-page document details what the Zeitenwende – a policy shift announced by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – means for the Bundeswehr.
To counter the weakening of the military since the Cold War, Germany last year set up a 100 billion euros special fund for purchase of modern weapons. The country also pledged to meet the NATO target of 2% of GDP on defence spending by 2024.
In the Zeitenwende policy, new defence policy guidelines presented by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius
position Germany as a “grown up country in terms of security policy”.
These guidelines are the first changes since the suspension of conscription in 2011, according to Reuters.
Reacting to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the German defence minister described the 19-page document as Berlin’s adaption to the new reality, highlighting the heightened threat level and the return of war to Europe.
According to Reuters, Pistorius argued that “Germany, as the most populous and economically powerful country in the centre of Europe, must serve as the backbone of Europe’s collective defence”. He stressed that the German armed forces must refocus on their main task – the defence of Germany and its allies –
and be “ready to fight a war”.
Acknowledging that military structures and capabilities have long been neglected, Defence Minister Pistorius said that change will take time.
Nevertheless, he pointed to Germany’s commitment to permanently station a combat brigade in Lithuania as a key aspect of the Zeitenwende project, which would demonstrate Germany’s readiness to take on the new role.
According to Reuters, Pistorius, in an article in the Tagesspiegel newspaper, stressed that just as Germany benefited from allied troops during the Cold War, its partners now expect Germany to fulfil its responsibilities and take the lead on security issues.
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