Germany accelerates military development amid Russian threat

Berlin (ANTARA) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Saturday (6/6) that his country will intensify efforts to strengthen its military deterrence capabilities and accelerate defence spending in response to what Berlin considers a continuous threat from Russia.

“We are forced to spend more money as a result of the security threat—the threat posed by Russia, as must be repeatedly emphasised,” Pistorius told journalists on the sidelines of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) Day in the southern German city of Neubiberg.

“We are accelerating the procurement process because that is what is most important. The soldiers on duty ensuring the Bundeswehr has deterrence, and who must defend us if the situation worsens, deserve the best equipment and the best training, and we are working very hard to make this a reality,” he added.

“We are working very hard and united to ensure that funds are spent effectively and quickly, so that the Bundeswehr can develop its full deterrence capability and, as NATO’s largest partner in Europe, play a central role alongside other nations in terms of NATO’s defence capabilities,” he said.

The defence minister noted in April that Germany’s new military strategy aims to make it the strongest conventional army in Europe by 2039 as part of the effort to deter Russia.

At a press conference in Berlin, Pistorius stated that the Bundeswehr has adopted its first comprehensive military strategy to identify potential threat scenarios and improve military readiness in the coming years.

“We are increasing the number of active soldiers, reserves, and civil servants. Our guiding principle is the goal of having at least 460,000 combat-ready personnel, including active and reserve forces,” said Pistorius.