Boris Pistorius has commented on the better equipment of the Bundeswehr. The planned special fund will not be enough. He gave Ukraine a clear rejection.
Berlin – Boris Pistorius was thrown in at the deep end as the new defense minister – in the Leopard 2 debate and for tank counting after the Ramstein meeting. Now he left in an interview with the SZ see through that the 100 billion euros in special assets will not be enough to increase the size of the Bundeswehr.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on the increase in the Bundeswehr: “Don’t assume that it will be enough”
“The 100 billion euros will not be enough”: clear words from the new defense minister. “We have new maintenance costs with every new system. With every new device, there are new and higher running costs,” Pistorius explained in an interview. When asked whether the regular budget of around 50 billion euros a year could remain, Pistorius replied: “I don’t think that’s enough.”
There is a lot of pent-up demand to procure new systems and ammunition, and according to the current plan, the ammunition for the existing systems should only be paid for from the defense budget. The so-called special fund in the amount of 100 billion euros to better equip the Bundeswehr was launched by the federal government after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Pistorius wants to stock up – but “tanks are not somewhere on the shelf to take away”
With the delivery of 14 Leopard 2 tanks from the Bundeswehr battalion to Ukraine, further gaps have to be filled. “Of course we’re on our way to get a replacement,” says Pistorius. But: “Tanks are not somewhere on the shelf to take away. They have a delivery time, and that’s not three weeks. And ammunition doesn’t grow on trees and just wants to be picked.” The Department of Defense is working to fill these gaps. However, according to Pistorius, procurement has to be faster.
A point of criticism that also military expert Thomas Wiegold im ZDF confirmed in mid-January. The situation in the Bundeswehr has deteriorated since the start of the Russian war of aggression. “The Bundeswehr has handed over material to the Ukraine, it has not been replaced.” In addition, apart from radio equipment, equipment for the Bundeswehr “has not even been ordered”, says Wiegold. Especially when it comes to ammunition, progress is sluggish.
More deliveries to Ukraine: will Germany also deliver fighter jets?
After the delivery of the Leopard 2 tanks, further deliveries are in the pipeline. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy hopes for fighter jets. However, Pistorius gave a clear rejection. “We would venture into dimensions that I would currently warn against.” (chd/dpa)
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