War has returned to Europe. Geostrategic competition is fierce, with authoritarian regimes openly challenging the rules-based international order. Threats to our security are multiplying, from terrorism to cyber-attacks, nuclear proliferation, and climate change. Such critical times call for decisive actions.
Germany’s Zeitenwende (“historic turn”) is testament to this. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision in February 2022 to invest €100 billion in defense to modernize Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, including new fifth generation fighter jets, helicopters, ships, tanks, and submarines marked a historic and courageous turning point for Germany’s defense policy.
The announcement of the Zeitenwende demonstrated German leadership in response to the threats Europe faces. I commend Chancellor Scholz, and Germany, for this historic decision. And I count on Germany to follow through, by keeping its commitments, spending the cash, and procuring the right capabilities.
As a highly valued NATO ally, with Europe’s largest economy, Germany already does a lot for our collective security. It is one of the biggest troop contributors to NATO’s missions and operations. It leads the NATO battlegroup in Lithuania, deterring aggression. 15,000 German troops are committed to NATO’s rapid response forces—ready to deploy quickly, wherever needed. German jets patrol the skies of NATO allies and German ships play a key role in our naval deployments.
Germany is also one of the NATO allies providing the most financial, humanitarian, and military aid to Ukraine, including air defense systems, battle tanks, artillery, and ammunition. This is important to uphold Ukraine’s right to self-defense, which is enshrined in the United Nations Charter. It is a moral imperative to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal aggression.
But it is also important for our own security. If Russian President Vladimir Putin wins in Ukraine, the message that he and other authoritarian regimes will get is that they can breach the international rules-based order with impunity, and that they can use force to achieve their objectives. This would make our world more dangerous, and all of us more vulnerable.
More Investments Needed
The return of full-fledged war to Europe is a clear reminder of why we need to invest more in our security. Strong defense ensures our security, which is the foundation for our prosperity and our way of life. In a more dangerous and unpredictable world, NATO allies need to step up investments in our defense to keep our nations safe. That is why, at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July, I expect NATO leaders to agree to a new, more ambitious defense spending pledge, with 2 percent of gross domestic product as the minimum spending on defense. 2 percent is a floor, not a ceiling.
We need to invest now and for the long term, because the security environment in Europe has changed profoundly and permanently. Regardless of when and how the war in Ukraine ends, our problems with a Russian regime that sees freedom and democracy as a threat will persist. And other global challenges will require our attention. We have to soberly assess these risks, define and defend our interests. To keep Germany and Europe safe, I expect Germany to deliver on the Zeitenwende and turn political commitments into action.
A strong German defense, with a ready and well-equipped Bundeswehr at its core, is needed for these challenging times. Chancellor Scholz’ ambition for the Bundeswehr “to become the cornerstone of conventional defense in Europe and the best-equipped armed force in Europe” within the framework of NATO is absolutely right. The Bundeswehr must get what it needs to do its job, protect the peace, and continue to contribute to our alliance. In the interest of Germany’s and Europe’s peaceful and prosperous future.
Equally necessary is a strong and robust defense industry that can deliver the capabilities required to both support Ukraine and ensure our own defense. NATO sets the standards and the targets for the development of the capabilities the alliance needs. By meeting these standards and fulfilling the capability targets, Germany and all allies provide the full spectrum of capabilities that NATO needs to deal with the wide range of challenges we face.
Delivering on the Zeitenwende is also about enhancing resilience. As Germany and other NATO allies continue to build and develop modern capabilities, we have to avoid the pitfalls of over-dependence on authoritarian regimes. The war in Ukraine taught us that it is dangerous to depend on Russian gas to heat our homes and power our industries, including our defense industry. As a result, Europe—and Germany in particular—have made impressive efforts to diversify energy supplies away from Russia. We learned the hard way not to depend on Russia.
Be Aware of Dependencies
As we wean ourselves off our dependency on Russian gas and oil, we must be careful not to develop similar dependencies on other authoritarian regimes. We currently rely on China for most of the rare earth minerals that are key to our cars and phones, to our jets and military equipment. China is also working to control parts of our critical infrastructure, including telecommunications, ports, and railways, on which we rely not just in peacetime, but also in times of crisis and conflict. Of course, we must continue to trade and engage with China. At the same time, we have to be aware of our dependencies, reduce our vulnerabilities, and manage the risks.
I welcome the initiative by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that led us to establish a NATO undersea infrastructure coordination cell, to enhance the resilience of allied undersea infrastructure. In addition, we have established a new NATO-EU task force to improve the resilience of our critical infrastructure and supply chains. Smart and cooperative resilience is key to our security. At our summit meeting in Vilnius in July, we will take further steps to enhance our resilience.
The Zeitenwende is a real game changer. It also reaffirms the centrality of transatlantic relations to our security and defense, and NATO’s role as the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security. The bond between Europe and North America remains rock solid. Three quarters of German citizens polled by NATO in 2022 believe that cooperation between our two continents on security matters is important. The United States has played and continues to play a leading role in European security—with 100,000 troops and key capabilities on the continent, a NATO US-led battlegroup in Poland, and coordinating the Ramstein Group, which has generated unprecedented support to Ukraine.
The Zeitenwende promises a substantial and valuable investment in transatlantic security and in NATO. It is the right thing to do, and the right time to do it. With a strong Germany at the heart of a strong NATO, we can weather any storm, prevent aggression, and keep Germany, and all our one billion citizens safe.
Jens Stoltenberg is Secretary General of NATO.
The German version of this article appeared in INTERNATIONALE POLITIK SPECIAL “Reden mit der Republik.”
