NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on Germany to increase its military spending and arms production, DPA reported, citing an interview with the former Dutch prime minister published in the Sunday edition of the German newspaper "Bild" – "Bild am Sonntag", BTA reports.
"The Germans did a lot of right things after the war in Ukraine began. But given the growth of the German economy, it is natural to expect them to do a lot more," Rutte said.
His interview came after statements on Thursday by one of the top military commanders in the German army – the commander of the newly created Bundeswehr Operational Command, Alexander Zolfranc. The lieutenant general, who headed NATO's logistics command (JSEC - Joint Support and Enabling Command), warned in an interview with DPA that the Russian threat is growing.
According to him, there are more and more attempts by Russia to bring chaos to the lives of Germans. According to Zolfranc, there have been "attempts to infiltrate" Bundeswehr facilities, over which drones have also been spotted. "We are no longer living in peacetime. We are witnessing hostile actions against the Bundeswehr in Germany, against infrastructure, and we are also talking about espionage", the general said.
"We are constantly noticing drones over areas where they should not be," he added to DPA. He drew attention to the periodic interruptions of underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. "We still don't know exactly how this is happening and who is behind it", the military commander noted.
German soldiers and military equipment in Lithuania and Poland
Two recent events concerning the Bundeswehr are also connected to the Baltics. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited Lithuania on January 22, and during his visit he stated that the activities for the deployment of a Bundeswehr brigade in the NATO member country are going according to plan, DPA reported.
"The deployment of the brigade is progressing gradually and according to schedule", Pistorius said after a meeting with his Lithuanian colleague Dovile Sakaliene. Sakaliene's predecessor – Laurinas Kačiūnas announced in early September last year that Lithuania and Germany had reached a formal agreement on the deployment of a German combat brigade in the Baltic republic.
Up to five thousand German soldiers were agreed to be permanently stationed in Lithuania at the Rudninkai Forest training ground in the eastern Šalčininkai region. They are due to start operations in 2027. In order to be able to take action more quickly, a temporary solution is envisaged, with German soldiers being housed in barracks near the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
A day after his visit to Lithuania, Pistorius was at a military airport near the southeastern Polish city of Rzeszów, where the Bundeswehr handed over two American-made Patriot air defense systems, DPA reported. The airbase is of strategic importance for supplies to Ukraine and therefore needs protection, the German Defense Minister noted.
"These two combat units will protect NATO territory and at the same time - and this is very important - logistical support for Ukraine", Pistorius was quoted by DPA. The agency added that about 200 servicemen will be attached to the "Patriot" systems at the airport, which is located about 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Pistorius praised Poland, saying that it was carrying out its mission for Ukraine with "incredible courage, dedication and passion". He also said that this summer Germany plans to temporarily transfer a "Eurofighter" fighter jet to Poland, whose mission will be to monitor the airspace of another NATO ally - Romania. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kościńska-Kamiś thanked the US military personnel who had been stationed at the Rzeszów airport until now. The Bundeswehr unit is taking their place.
Three German Patriot air defense systems have already been deployed in Poland between January and November 2023, and they are being looked after by 320 German servicemen at two locations near the city of Zamość.
More women in reserve in the Bundeswehr
On the other hand, the German Defense Ministry presented data on trends in the number of Bundeswehr personnel.
The German Armed Forces recorded a slight decrease in their numbers in the past 2024, DPA reported. At the end of last year, the Bundeswehr had 181,150 servicemen, compared to a personnel strength of 181,500 as of December 2023.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense reports a "change in trends" against the backdrop of the increased number of conscripts entering the Bundeswehr in 2024. Their number for the past year is 20,300 people, eight percent more than in 2023. In addition, the number of civilian employees in the Bundeswehr structures has also increased slightly, and by the end of last year they were around 81,600, over a hundred more than the previous year, the German Defense Ministry specifies.
The number of reservists has also increased - to 20,100 people, of which 1,700 are women. In 2023, there were 19,100 of them, including 1,400 women, according to statistics reported by DPA.
Expert's opinion
"Prosperity and security are two sides of the same coin", is the title of the opinion of expert Oliver Döre in the German newspaper "Welt". He is CEO of "Hensoldt" - a security manufacturing company specializing in defense and surveillance technology. Increasing defense spending could create an economic stimulus package for Germany, he says. According to Döre, Germany is in its deepest economic crisis since World War II. According to him, the reasons are diverse, but they are predominantly structural.
"We suffer from bureaucracy, excessive regulation, high energy prices, too high taxes and duties, geopolitical distortions and a constant lack of investment. The months after the federal elections will determine whether and how quickly our country can achieve a turnaround", points out the CEO of "Hensolt". Germany is due to hold early parliamentary elections in less than three weeks - on February 23.
"I reject the idea that one person (or one party) can "save" Germany. We are all called upon to develop ideas on how Germany can quickly return to growth and prosperity. Internal and external security are at the heart of the debate. This is a question of social and political stability. Because without security we do nothing," Dörre continues in his commentary in "Welt".
According to him, the money given for national security and defense is an excellent investment in the German economy. "Because every euro we invest in products of the German security and defense industry contributes twice to Germany: one euro for security, but also (at least) one euro for future economic growth. Security thus becomes a growth engine," he believes.
Most politicians and experts agree that in the medium term Germany should spend well over three percent of GDP on security and defense, the head of "Hensoldt" also notes in connection with US President Donald Trump's recent call for NATO allies to increase their military spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product. At the same time, "Welt" draws attention to the fact that the United States itself invests "only" 3.4 percent of GDP. "NATO must significantly expand its capabilities", emphasizes Döhre.
"Intelligence warnings are becoming reality: hybrid attacks are now commonplace in Europe. The goal of our opponents is to systematically test vulnerabilities and red lines, to create uncertainty. Their motto is "To weaken and divide Europe", concludes the expert, according to whom spending 3.5 percent of GDP on defense spending should be legalized in the German Constitution for at least ten years to come.