For the first time in the history of the Bundeswehr, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius presented a military strategy. In it, he maintains the goal of 260,000 active military personnel, although high-ranking military officials, in view of the growing threat from Russia, demanded a significantly larger increase in numbers. This is reported by Spiegel, writes UNN.
Details
Together with the reserve, the number of troops should increase to at least 460,000 men and women, Pistorius said on Wednesday in Berlin. The goal is to create the strongest conventional army in Europe. The current security situation requires strategic certainty. In March, the head of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner, demanded even more active military personnel - "over 300,000."
The world has become more unpredictable and, yes, it must be said, more dangerous
The strategy is accompanied by another document that translates political goals into military capabilities.
After decades of limited funding for the armed forces, Germany has loosened the "debt brake" to significantly increase defense spending. At the same time, the government abandoned a return to compulsory military service, suspended in 2011, and instead opted for a voluntary service model. However, there are doubts whether this is enough to increase the number of troops from the current approximately 185,000 to 260,000 active military personnel.
As the publication notes, the main focus of the military strategy is to counter threats from Russia. The country generally views the West as a hostile environment and perceives the entry of democratic states into NATO as encirclement. Changing this situation is a key goal of Moscow.
To this end, Russia seeks to weaken the unity of the alliance and achieve the separation of the United States from Europe. The ultimate goal is the failure of NATO and the expansion of Russian influence in Europe.