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Germany’s Western allies should prepare for years of confrontation with Russia. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed this view at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Saturday, February 17. “Unfortunately, in the coming decades we in Europe will have to live with a dividing line: on the one hand, a liberal and democratic Europe, and on the other, an authoritarian and belligerent Russia,” the German Defense Minister said, according to Deutsche Welle.
Pistorius explained that the formation of a pan-European security architecture was not successful because the Kremlin wanted to restore its dominance in Eastern and Central Europe.
Germany’s defense spending to reach 2 percent
The German minister believes that in the coming years, the need for defense spending will be higher than two percent of the gross domestic product of NATO member states. This year, Berlin is on track to meet this target thanks to a special fund for the re-equipment of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr).
Pistorius acknowledged that in the future Germany will be able to spend 3-3.5% of GDP on defense, but that will depend on the situation in the world and in the German economy. At the same time, he called effective deterrence “our life insurance.”
German Defense Minister – Cooperation with the Global South
In addition, Pistorius called for expanded cooperation with countries in the southern hemisphere, even if they “do not fully share” Germany’s standards and values. The German minister warned that if Berlin refuses to cooperate with some African countries, Moscow may take over. “Usually this does not happen in the national interest or in regional stability,” he added.
Among other things, we are discussing Germany’s cooperation with African countries in the field of arms policy, the German defense minister explained. Pistorius said German-made weapons should not fall into the wrong hands, but Berlin could not expect southern hemisphere countries “to defend the rules-based international order if we refuse to provide them with the equipment they need.”
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