German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Friday for greater efforts in Germany and Europe to have an effective defense mechanism.
In his weekly video message, Schulz said that “preserving the peace order in Europe” is the reason for supporting Ukraine “as long as this is necessary.”
The German Chancellor added, “We, in Germany and Europe, are doing more and we must still do more so that we can defend ourselves effectively.”
Schulz said that words such as “deterrence and defense preparedness are unfamiliar to some.”
Schulz expressed his belief that these words express an important mission, which is, “We and our allies must be so strong that no one dares to attack us. In this way, we will work to guarantee our security. In this way, we will defend peace in Europe,” stressing that the best guarantee is So it is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “on both sides of the Atlantic”.
He said that Germany is strengthening its army and Europe's defense, adding, “This is our contribution within a strong NATO.”
Schulz continued his speech, saying: “It is no secret that the German army was neglected for many years. This ended with the time shift (a phrase that Schulz launched after the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, meaning a change in Germany’s defense policy),” in reference to the enhanced investments he allocated to the German army. .
He added that this year, for the first time in decades, Germany is investing 2% of its gross domestic product in defense, and this is the goal that NATO set for its member states.
The German Chancellor added, “This will remain so in the coming years and decades.”
Schulz stressed the importance of cooperation with European partners to build an effective defense industry in Germany and Europe, and said: “Manufacturing operations must continue continuously for the most important weapons systems, especially ammunition. When we collect our orders as Europeans, we will succeed in this.”
At the end of the letter, Schulz emphasized: “All of this requires some things from us, including financial ones as well. But one thing is very clear: without security, everything else is non-existent.” He saw that Germany is on the right path, and said: “We defend our security firmly and with balance.”
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