German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius Photo: Martin Meissne
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has stated the need to significantly strengthen the country’s defence capabilities amid threats from Russia. In an interview with the Funke Media Group published by Spiegel, he stressed that the Bundeswehr must be able to fight in the event of an attack from Moscow.
“If Putin attacks, we must be prepared for war,” Pistorius said, calling for a significant increase in Germany’s defence budget. According to him, starting from 2028, the budget should be between 80 and 90 billion euros a year to meet modern security challenges.
Pistorius also called for reform of the so-called “debt brake” to ensure that defence spending is funded. He warned that using only the regular budget for this purpose could jeopardise the state’s ability to act and undermine social programmes, which in turn could increase the influence of radical parties.
The minister rejected the idea of creating a new special fund for the Bundeswehr, noting that this solution would have a limited effect. “Such a fund could only be used for the purchase of materials, but not for long-term maintenance, repairs or hiring additional staff,” he explained.
Pistorius’s calls came amid a deteriorating security situation in Europe caused by Russia’s aggressive policy.
