Defense: Högl: triple 100 billion pot for troops

defense
Högl: Triple 100 billion pot for troops

In view of the relentless Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the Bundestag Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces calls for Eva Höglto triple the special fund for the Bundeswehr from the current 100 billion to 300 billion euros. The SPD politician also told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper” that further support for Ukraine with weapons and ammunition would “not work without new production capacities”.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a similar statement. He told the newspaper that production had to increase “to replenish Allied stocks and to ensure that we could Ukraine With a view to the intense fighting since the beginning of the war almost a year ago, he said: “This conflict consumes an enormous amount of ammunition and devours our stockpiles.”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell agreed: “Our member states need to spend more, but also do it better. And we need to do it together.”

“Ramp up production in the next few years”

Sara Nanni, the leader of the Greens on the Defense Committee, told the “FAS” that if you want peace, you also have to invest in security. “In the next few years we have to ramp up production.”

The 100 billion special fund was made available in June with an amendment to the Basic Law. According to the Ministry of Defense, this should close large gaps after decades of savings. According to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), the goal is a modernized and “fully operational armed forces“.

According to the Bundeswehr Association, ammunition worth 20 to 30 billion euros is missing in Germany alone. The problem has been known for years. The chairwoman of the defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), recalled the supply problems with ammunition from Switzerland and concluded: “The manufacture of ammunition belongs in one of the Natocountries or to Germany.”

dpa

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