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Work on a German National Security Strategy has begun. The strategy is addressed not only to the world, but also to the Germans. Baerbock calls for NATO presence in Southeast Europe.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, had invited representatives of the diplomatic corps to the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when she presented the start of work on the National Security Strategy (18.03.2022). Germany is drafting such a national security strategy for the first time.
This has attracted attention in Europe following the historic German turn in military investment. An additional 100 billion euros for defense in 2022 and from 2023 over 75 billion euros a year, make Germany Europe’s largest military power.
This historic transformation of German foreign and security policy, proclaimed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, will now be argued even with a German security doctrine. With this Strategy, the German Government will explain Germany’s position in the world and Germany’s intentions.
The drafting of a National Security Strategy, the German government had decided in the agreement of the governing coalition. “We will present a comprehensive national security strategy in the first year of the new federal government,” the agreement reads.
At the same time, Russia’s war against Ukraine represents a “geopolitical turning point,” as Foreign Minister Baerbock put it. The war in Ukraine disrupted the peace order in Europe. This arouses an “ardent desire for security,” which “perhaps my generation has never really felt,” said Annalena Baerbock.
The work for drafting the Strategy is led by the German Foreign Ministry. But contributions to the Strategy will be made by the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Proposals are also expected from research institutions and civic initiatives. This broad involvement of central German institutions shows that Germany is determined to devise a highly representative security strategy.
A White Paper on Security Policy and the Bundeswehr’s future was also drafted in 2016. But the document was left in oblivion, it lost its power due to the fact that in its drafting, the German Ministry of Defense did not include other institutions, such as. ministry of Finance.
National Security Strategy – awareness and education process
Extraordinary investments for the German army have long been needed. But these decisions, in the situation of the Russian attack against Ukraine were simply announced in the Bundestag. The National Security Strategy is therefore important not only for the world, but especially for German public opinion. The several-month period of drafting the Strategy will gather not only additional impulses from institutional actors and German society. The arguments will also serve to align German public opinion with the military component.
The shell of a Russian tank hits Mariupol
For historical reasons, in post-World War II Germany an aversion to the military and the use of military violence as a means to protect self-interest has been nurtured to this day. As a result, public opinion in Germany today is largely pacifist. A significant part of the public has had a friendly attitude towards Russia for decades.
German personalities speak out against German armaments
The decisions announced by Chancellor Scholz on massive military investments are irreversible. They are supported by all parties represented in the Bundestag and will be enshrined in the German constitution.
But rumors complaining that the historic turning point was not preceded by a public debate in Germany have begun. On Tuesday (22.03.) Prominent personalities, scientists and politicians opposed with a public appeal “Germany’s largest armament since World War II”. On appeal they leave no ambiguity: Putin is responsible for the war in Ukraine. But they write that “the weapons planned for decades do not end the deaths in Ukraine, they do not make the world more peaceful and secure.”
Such voices will increase when the first friend of the war in Ukraine is shifted in the consciousness of the people. The argumentation by political representatives of the biggest historical political turn in recent decades is gaining special importance in this context.
Baerbock: “NATO presence in Southeast European countries”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock outlined some directions for the work on drafting the National Security Strategy.
Germany is committed to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. It has now been decided that Germany will make a substantial contribution to Slovakia. But not only that. The German Foreign Minister spoke about a NATO presence in Southeast Europe. “The entire eastern territory of the Alliance is under new threat, so we need to establish a NATO presence in the countries of Southeast Europe,” said Annalena Baerbock.
The strategy will reinforce the need for Germany to participate in NATO nuclear intimidation. Baerbock therefore reiterated the decision to buy American F-35 aircraft from Germany, which transport nuclear weapons from Germany. The aim is to strengthen “defensive capacity”, both from military and cyber attacks.
The German Foreign Minister spoke about the need to embrace a broader concept of security. Annalena Baerbocku reminded that security is also affected by non-military factors such as diplomacy, cultural work, education, sports, mediation in crisis, even if the results are not seen “tomorrow”. In addition to diplomacy and economic cooperation, Baerbock called for action on “financial and substantial support” instruments. “Because as complex as crises are, so complex must be our responses.”
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