Shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine, Chancellor Scholz heralded a “turning point”. What has happened since February 27, 2022?
Berlin – The Ukraine war was a shock for all of Europe. In Germany, too, everything was suddenly different. This became particularly clear on February 27, 2022, when Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) stepped up to the lectern in the Bundestag and in the almost 30 minutes that followed turned German foreign and security policy upside down. “We are experiencing a turning point,” Scholz said three days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade Ukraine. “The world after is not the same as the world before.”
But what did the turning point that was promised a year ago actually change? What happened to the Chancellor’s announcements? Is the Bundeswehr in a better position now? An overview:
A turning point in slow motion: slow rearmament of the Bundeswehr
The turning point should actually be seen most clearly in dealing with the Bundeswehr. In his speech, Scholz announced a special fund of 100 billion euros for better equipment. But the reality has been different so far. The Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Florian Toncar (FDP), recently had to give a rather sobering answer to a question from CDU MP Ingo Gädechens: “The Bundeswehr special fund did not spend any funds in the 2022 budget year.”
However, the Ministry of Defense points out that around 30 billion euros have already been planned. “We are bound by the regulations and laws and are only allowed to pay when the service has been rendered.” This will finance, among other things, the full outfitting of the soldiers with clothing, the arming of drones and the procurement of the US F-35 stealth jets.
A year of turning point: Union keeps Scholz from missed opportunities
For many, this is not happening fast enough. A year after Scholz’s speech, those who were particularly affected by the turning point are taking stock rather critically. “Since then, nothing has noticeably improved for the soldiers,” said the head of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner picture on sunday. This is hardly possible in the short time. “Nevertheless, we need more speed. Whether in terms of material, personnel or infrastructure, a real turnaround that can be felt in the troops is needed in this legislative period, otherwise it would be a turning point.”
The Union also criticizes the gap between announcements and results. “Unfortunately, the federal government no longer maintained the flight altitude the following day,” said Union faction vice Jens Spahn (CDU) of New Westphalian. “The chancellor is breaking his promises.” So far, “virtually nothing has been planned” for the Bundeswehr special fund.
CDU foreign affairs expert Roderich Kiesewetter took the same line. “The Bundeswehr has enormous deficits and the turning point has not yet begun for them,” said Kiesewetter Augsburg General. “The troops have lost a year and are now more bare than at the beginning of 2022.” Kiesewetter was referring to a social media post by army inspector Alfons Mais, who wrote on February 24, 2022: “The Bundeswehr, the army, I is allowed to lead is more or less blank.”
A turning point in Germany? Defense industry is ready
The armaments industry has also complained several times about the sluggish award of contracts. There were no orders for tanks or artillery as of early 2023. This was partly due to the fact that the previous year was initially subject to provisional budgeting, which made it difficult to award new contracts. “It is unfortunate that there have only been a few orders from German companies from the special fund because politicians have been very busy with budgetary issues over the past year, but it cannot be changed,” said the general manager of the Federal Association of the German Security and Defense Industry , Hans-Christoph Atzpodien, the German Press Agency.
However, Atzpodien is anticipating movement in the awarding of orders in the coming weeks and months. “We’re confident that we’ll now be getting orders across the board.” The industry is ready as a partner of the Bundeswehr and can get started quickly. “The companies are highly motivated, especially since some of them have already taken entrepreneurial risks.”
The industry representative emphasized the urgency of investing in the Bundeswehr. “As a society, we should recognize the need to spend even more on our security and thus protect our democracy and Europe as a whole.” The Ukraine war has shown that one’s own peace urgently needs to be secured.
State of the Bundeswehr after a turning point: Pistorius calls for an increase in the defense budget
Atzpodien was relieved that the SPD politician Boris Pistorius is now in charge of the Defense Ministry. “He seeks to talk to us and tackles the important equipment issues.” In the partnership between the Bundeswehr and the German armaments companies, trusting cooperation is important. Pistorius also makes that clear in his constructive way.
Pistorius himself announced on Sunday (February 26) in the ARD program “Report from Berlin” that the armaments companies should in future receive advance payments for orders and not only be paid upon delivery. “We’ll do that now in the future. Also simply to document that money is flowing out,” said Pistorius.
He also reiterated his call for an increase in the defense budget: “One thing is clear, you have to emphasize that again, the 100 billion special funds are one thing, they will take another three years to be spent,” he said. “But after that it will be clear that we need more. Incidentally, even for ongoing operations.” The budget of the Ministry of Defense must grow significantly, “because otherwise we would not be able to carry out the tasks that we had not been able to carry out for 30 years”.
A year of turning point: Pistorius versus Scholz at the two percent target
The increase in the defense budget will also depend on whether Scholz will be able to keep the key promise he made to NATO partners in his turning point speech in the foreseeable future. “From now on we will invest more than two percent of the gross domestic product in our defense every year,” he said a year ago. In 2022, according to official NATO statistics, the proportion was 1.44 percent. According to internal calculations by the federal government, 1.6 percent is expected for the current year. In order to reach the two percent, the defense budget would have to be increased by 15 to 65 billion euros.
Scholz has already put his promise into perspective. At the Munich Security Conference, instead of “more than two percent”, he only spoke of a permanent increase “to two percent”. Pistorius sees it differently. The SPD politician had already made it clear before the conference that he would make every effort to go beyond the target of two percent of gross domestic product. “It must be clear to everyone that the tasks that lie ahead of us cannot be fulfilled with just under two percent,” says Pistorius. “Each of us would rather spend more money on other things. But the reality is what it is.”
A year after the turn of the century, “ticking time bombs” are still waiting for Pistorius
Pistorius received a lot of praise for his open words. Alexander Müller is also impressed by Pistorius’ previous work. “He is a politician who makes clear statements, who does not say nonsensical sentences, who also answers questions and does not beat about the bush,” the quoted US magazine political the defense policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group. But Müller also pointed out that “a few ticking time bombs” were still waiting for Pistorius.
Müller named three particular challenges: a) ongoing quality problems with the Puma infantry fighting vehicle; b) slow progress in purchasing replacement military equipment such as Leopard 2 tanks donated to Ukraine; c) the procurement of new American CH-47 transport helicopters, “which could be much more expensive than planned”.
Pistorius is still putting pressure on. During his inaugural visit to the Navy on February 21, he emphasized that he had promised the inspector that he would do everything in his power to ensure that the Navy could continue to be operational in the future. “And that also includes – I repeat – adequate financial resources,” said Pistorius. He promised to deal in the near future with what is on the implementation list for the special fund, what is to be ordered and procured and what needs of the Navy are taken into account.
At the same time, it dampened excessive expectations of short-term procurement and modernization. “The special fund with the 100 billion euros plus the individual plan that we have cannot compensate in two or three years what has not been invested in over 30 years for obvious reasons.” That’s why you have to set priorities. We are working on solutions, he promised. (Christian Stör/dpa)
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