War in Europe Is a Real Possibility, Says German Defence Minister
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is calling for a new societal mindset in the face of crises similar to those seen in the Middle East, as he believes there's a real risk of war in Europe.
He made this statement during an interview on ZDF, a German television channel.
Pistorius believes that the war between Russia and Ukraine and the conflicts in the Middle East should have consequences for German society.
"We need to get used to the idea that there might be a threat of war in Europe," the minister said.
According to Pistorius, Germany should be capable of defending itself, and this applies not only to the Bundeswehr (the German armed forces) but also to society. He emphasized, "We must become prepared for war."
At the same time, Germany will do everything in its power to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, added the Defence Minister.
Pistorius dismissed accusations that the federal government has been too slow to respond to the so-called turning point. "There is no time like the present," he asserted. He highlighted that a special fund of €100 billion was established for the Bundeswehr, and the budget structure has been adjusted.
However, Pistorius acknowledged that the Bundeswehr had been neglected for a long time. "Everything that was ruined in 30 years, unfortunately, cannot be fixed in 19 months," he noted.
But by the end of this decade, Germany will be in a completely different position, assured the minister. According to Pistorius, the Bundeswehr is already one of the most powerful NATO armed forces in Europe.
In mid-October, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that the current escalation in the Middle East would not lead to a reduction in German support for Ukraine.
As reported by The Gaze, the German Ministry of Defence announced a "winter" military aid package for Kyiv, amounting to approximately €1 billion.
This package includes additional air defence measures, including additional Patriot air defence systems (equipped with target-tracking radar) and IRIS-T. Just this air defence package costs around €1 billion.
Furthermore, Ukraine will receive ten more main battle tanks Leopard 1 A5, three additional Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, 15 armoured transport vehicles, and almost 20 armoured medical vehicles in the coming weeks.