Germany has published the first national security strategy in the country's history. In it, Russia is designated as a "threat", and China as a "partner" and "rival". What are the features of this doctrinal document and how will its implementation affect relations between Berlin and Moscow?
The German government on Thursday presented the first national security strategy in the country's history, which outlines the basic principles and measures to counter potential external threats to the country and the North Atlantic Alliance. The document takes up more than 40 pages.
It reflects the concept of ensuring the security of Germany and NATO, including in cyberspace and outer space, countering external influence and espionage, protecting technologies and critical infrastructure facilities, managing during crisis situations and pandemics, achieving sovereignty in the energy and food sectors.
It follows from the text of the document that the German government considers Russia the most serious threat to security and world order in Europe. Thus, Berlin calls the special operation in Ukraine "a blatant violation of the UN Charter." At the same time, Germany supports the preservation of political and military communication channels between NATO and Moscow. The strategy also states that "neither Germany nor the alliance are looking for a confrontation with the Russian Federation."
The document also pays attention to the relations between Berlin and Beijing. It is said that Germany sees China as a partner, without which it is impossible to resolve many global crises, but at the same time considers it a systemic rival.
In addition, as part of the strategy, the German authorities advocated an increase in military spending by NATO members to 2% of GDP. At the same time, Germany intends to reduce its unilateral dependence on the supply of energy resources and raw materials. The document also talks about plans to adopt a law to protect critical infrastructure facilities.
Earlier, the newspaper VZGLYAD wrote in detail that Germany is going through another round of rethinking its own position in the international arena. Last year, there were already loud statements by the country's Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Berlin should become the owner of "the largest traditional army in Europe."
In addition, a special fund of 107 billion euros was created, which is designed to help increase German defense spending to the coveted 2% of GDP. The actions of German politicians in many ways amazed even Western experts, and the Foreign Affairs publication predicted the future of Germany as "the largest EU state in terms of investments in the military sphere with a growing presence in Eastern and Central Europe."
Against this background, Germany is deploying military activity in a variety of directions. In particular, in April it became known that Berlin would send 1.6 thousand troops to Sudan for combat experience for future wars. Before that, in February, Germany and the Netherlands decided to unite their ground forces, and the Germans will be in charge of the grouping of troops.
And in the Russian direction, Germany decided to strengthen its military positions in Lithuania. We are talking about the deployment of a German brigade, which will become part of the NATO forces for "rapid response". Thus, the military expansionism of Germany only gaining momentum, as evidenced not only logistical involvement of Berlin in the conflict in Ukraine, but also the first national security strategy, which defines Russia as the main threat.
"This document is executed in the spirit of uncritical perception of transatlantic values, which the government of Olaf Scholz adheres to. The fact that Russia is designated there as the main threat fully reflects the discussions that are present both in the government and among the German expert community," said Artem Sokolov, a researcher at the Center for European Studies at the Institute of International Studies.
"This strategy reflects the interests of that part of the German elites who see their political existence solely within the framework of unconditional solidarity with the United States. However, the provisions of this document seriously differ from the position of those companies in the country that continue their activities in the Russian Federation. In addition, the document does not correspond to the ideas of a significant part of society about what Germany's foreign policy should look like at the present stage," the expert notes.
"It is also interesting to mention the need to increase German military spending to 2%. In principle, at this stage it is a feasible task. Spending on the Bundeswehr is increasing after February 2022. This is achieved through a special defense fund of 100 million euros created in 2022. The militaristic German machine has been launched," the interlocutor believes.
In his Telegram channel, the expert also noted that the document's emphasis on the threat from Russia can be called expected. "The anti–Russian consensus of the German elites is fixed at all levels of the domestic political discussion and will determine most of what is happening in Germany for a long time," Sokolov emphasizes.
"The publication of this strategy means the start of a new stage in German diplomacy. Previously, Russia was accused only of espionage and support of opposition European movements. Now Russia is being declared an existential threat to Europe. Accordingly, the relations between our countries go beyond the limits of political normality," said Alexander Kamkin, director of the Center for German Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"The document takes into account first of all transatlantic interests. Germany becomes completely controlled by the United States and loses the ability to conduct an independent foreign policy. German citizens also suffer from this: the published strategy is not aimed at increasing the welfare of society or maintaining its security. The purpose of the document is to further militarize relations with Moscow," the expert notes.
"Russia, on the contrary, needs to resort to "soft power" in these conditions.
It is important to promote your own interests through civil society activists. We must not forget that Germany remained focused on the Russian elite, who continue to exist, despite the enormous pressure. Such work should become systematic. It is impossible to get rid of the formed threat in the West without this," Kamkin believes.
At the same time, German politician Waldemar Gerdt believes that there is, in fact, "nothing new" in the published strategy. "Russia has always been viewed in Germany as a potential adversary. This image is imposed on children at the stage of school education. It is supported by the military and public organizations of Germany. At the moment, the government of the country has only openly indicated its own position," Gerdt said.
"But this document is not written in the interests of Germany. In our country, all reasonable politicians understand that it is impossible to build a new concept of security in Europe, as well as to develop industry and industry without Russia. Despite this, modern German ideologists from the ruling coalition continue to play this senseless spectacle to please their overseas colleagues," the politician emphasizes.
"It is quite difficult to say how much such a strategy corresponds to German interests. In every country, the image of how exactly the state policy should look is always determined by the current government. In Germany, it is primarily the Social Democrats and the Green Party," said German political analyst Alexander Rahr.
"After the start of the military conflict in Ukraine, the ruling coalition decided to firmly take a pro-American position. Accordingly, our politicians no longer want to conduct conciliatory dialogues with Russia or China, standing on the principles of transatlanticism. Thus, Germany has fully embarked on a pro-American track. Unfortunately, the United States sees Europe solely as an assistant in the fight against its own rivals," Rar summarizes.
Evgeny Pozdnyakov, Ilya Abramov
