The German government may involve women and pensioners to drive trucks that will deliver equipment and provisions to the front in case of war with Russia. This was reported by Bild, informs UNN.
Details
It is noted that Germany currently lacks about 100,000 truck drivers, which means that many goods cannot be delivered with the necessary speed.
According to Dirk Engelhardt, head of the Federal Association of Road Haulage, Logistics and Waste Disposal, in the event of a Russian attack on at least one NATO country, Germany "could lose up to 300,000 Eastern European drivers who would be forced to return home." This would lead to a shortage of up to 400,000 truck drivers in the event of a military threat – approximately half of the required number.
If at a critical moment we cannot close the deficit of 400,000 drivers, we will not be able to effectively support the Bundeswehr or provide for the civilian population.
He emphasized that to solve this problem, a "turbo mode" for drivers must be launched – hundreds of thousands of women and pensioners must be involved in driving trucks. The number of regulatory requirements should also be reduced.
We need more women behind the wheel as drivers. This requires safe parking spaces and trucks equipped, for example, with their own shower, toilet, and kitchen.
China could provoke Russia to attack NATO - Rutte05.07.25, 23:01 • [views_16631]
He also proposes recognizing driving licenses from some third countries, such as Moldova or Uzbekistan, in Germany. In addition, he considers it appropriate for those who have a truck driving license to be allowed to drive it for commercial purposes - for example, in logistics companies. Currently, this requires additional training.
"Specialization must be abolished. It holds us back," Engelhardt emphasized.
Context
Recently, NATO's European forces commander Alexus Grinkevich stated that the US and the EU have 18 months to prepare for a possible large-scale military conflict with China and Russia. There is a risk of coordinated aggression, which could lead to a simultaneous attack on Taiwan and NATO countries.
In May, the Inspector General of the German Armed Forces Carsten Breuer ordered the full equipping of the German army with weapons and equipment by 2029. This is due to the need to expand defense capabilities due to the threat of a Russian attack on NATO.