Europe’s security is currently being defended to a large extent in Ukraine. Therefore, Germany must also deliver more weapons, demand defense experts at the traffic light. If the capacities of the armaments companies were expanded, a temporary weakening of the Bundeswehr would be acceptable.
The defense experts at Ampel are demanding more arms deliveries to Ukraine from the coalition partners. They also accept that the Bundeswehr would be temporarily weakened. “Germany is already doing a lot. But as an economically important country in Europe, we can and should do more,” write Bundestag members Kristian Klinck from the SPD, Sara Nanni from the Greens and Alexander Müller from the FDP in a guest article for “Spiegel”. . A permanent supply of weapons systems to Ukraine is necessary, “instead of just repeatedly reacting to current challenges”.
They call for close coordination with international partners and the armaments industry. “A coordinated approach makes it possible to accept temporary cuts in the Bundeswehr, for example by handing over used material, which is then promptly replaced,” they write. A temporary restriction of Germany’s ability to defend itself is justifiable. The federal government has so far made its arms deliveries subject to the condition that the operational capability and the obligations of the Bundeswehr to allies must not suffer.
The three defense experts criticize the argument that enabling the Bundeswehr to defend the country and the alliance takes precedence over supporting Ukraine. This is a “constructed conflict of goals”. The security and stability of Europe “are being defended in Ukraine at the present time,” it said.
According to the authors, the armaments industry plays a key role in any military aid. Manufacturers must be able to “significantly increase their capacities – to re-equip the Bundeswehr, to equip our allies and to continue supporting Ukraine”. For example, “in the current critical situation, the capability profile of the Bundeswehr could and should temporarily take a back seat to the sustainability of Ukraine.”
