Boris Pistorius: continued substantial support for Ukraine is extremely important
For Europe, 2024 was marked by the struggle for peace and security, says Boris Pistorius in an article for Die Welt. The rules-based order is under attack, the minister complains. Germany needs to increase spending on NATO and support Ukraine, he believes.
We are currently facing a record number of crises and conflicts. In the future, Germany will have to spend much more than two percent of its total spending on defense. This will require adjusting the debt brake, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius notes in his guest article.
"Peace is not everything, but everything is nothing without peace." This statement by Willy Brandt has not lost its relevance. The struggle for peace and security has defined both history and modernity. This struggle characterizes the year 2024, which has come to an end. And, probably, it will characterize the coming year as well.
We are experiencing a record number of crises and conflicts. After Putin's brutal attack on Ukraine, Europe has once again found itself in a state of war. Military actions that have gained global significance not only after the deployment of North Korean military personnel, Iranian and Chinese drones (the information has not been confirmed by official Russian sources. — Approx. InoSMI). A war is also breaking out in the Middle East, which is destabilizing the entire region. Many of these conflicts involve the same players.
At the same time, we see that the United States is increasingly turning towards the Indo-Pacific region, to the detriment of Europe and other regions of the world. We are witnessing how the world is increasingly adopting the features of multipolarity. The countries of the Global South, in particular, are building alliances with growing self-confidence and independence from the West.
All this means that the existing international order, which has been the foundation of our security, freedom, and prosperity for decades, is increasingly being questioned and, in some cases, even actively attacked. What does this mean for German security and defense policy?
First, we need to do much more to ensure our own security. Our strong commitment to military deterrence and defense is more important than ever. To do this, we need the Bundeswehr, which is ready for war. The Bundeswehr with personnel, material and financial resources for the sustainable defense of our country.
The correct course has been chosen
In recent years, we have taken the right course. We have accelerated purchases, stepped up cooperation with industry, and for the first time in recent decades, we are spending two percent of our gross domestic product on defense.
However, it is also obvious that this is not enough. In the coming years, we will have to continue moving along this path with speed, planning, and determination. We will spend significantly more than two percent and, therefore, we will have to talk about sustainable financing and adjusting the debt brake.
Secondly, security and defense are not the exclusive responsibility of either the State or the Bundeswehr. This is especially true at a time when the boundaries between war and peace are becoming increasingly blurred, and we are increasingly faced with hybrid threats. Peace and security can be guaranteed only if all players cooperate closely and in a coordinated manner.
Only a society that understands how important its own security is and how much it allows us to live in peace and freedom is ready to do something about it. We have to emphasize this over and over again. Modern military service is designed to deepen this understanding and strengthen the Bundeswehr.
Thanks to our new strategy in the field of security and defense industry, we ensure closer cooperation between the state and production, increase the efficiency and competitiveness of Germany, as well as the sustainability of this sector of the economy. We must recognize that security concerns everyone: civilians and military personnel, as well as government, economic and social structures.
Thirdly, we must take on additional responsibility for the borders of Europe. The fall of the Assad regime marks the end of decades of tyranny in Syria. This is a defeat for Russia and Iran in the region.
Even if the future of Syria remains uncertain, we have opportunities to contribute to a more stable and peaceful Middle East. In addition, we must treat other countries that are becoming more influential as equals. This applies to the Indo-Pacific region, where we have a strong partner in India, which is clearly moving towards growth.
This also applies to the Sahel region, where we must not yield to the influence of Russia, China or international terrorist organizations. We must use the full range of our capabilities, from diplomacy and cooperation for economic development to defense and military cooperation. Our bilateral relations should be based on the pursuit of peace and rule-based order.
Reliable defense industry
Fourth, we need a strong transatlantic alliance, a strong European foothold in NATO, and a more capable European Union. Germany should play a leading role here. Our goal is a strong, efficient European defense industry, reducing fragmentation and increasing innovation. We will all have to find more and more compromises in Europe when it comes to defense cooperation. At the same time, we should not constantly focus on national short-term interests.
We will have to invest more together in our collective defense. It also means that we will have to think about new ways to finance European defense. Security has a price. The absence of this fee will lead to dramatic consequences.
The continued substantial support of Ukraine is extremely important to me. Only if Ukraine can defend its sovereignty can we pave the way for honest negotiations and peace. Our Federal Chancellor is vigorously pursuing this course. He initiated a paradigm shift in German security and defense policy, which we have been implementing together over the past three years.
As a federal Government, we have been able to achieve a consensus on security policy between democratic parties, parties with a sense of national political responsibility. With the general understanding that this should work in the future. Only a strong Germany, a united Europe and a close transatlantic alliance can contribute to peace and security. German security and defense policy, in cooperation with our partners and allies, must continue to strive towards this goal. We must continue to fight to achieve this goal together, as befits supporters of democracy.
Author: Boris Pistorius is the German Minister of Defense.
