Bundeswehr Criticizes 2025 Defense Budget Amid Rising Russian Threat
The planned defense budget for 2025 has sparked significant criticism from the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. Inspector General Carsten Breuer has voiced concerns over the proposed 52 billion euros, which is only a slight increase from the previous year. Breuer emphasized that the geopolitical climate, particularly the threat posed by Russia, necessitates a more substantial investment in defense.
Breuer highlighted the increasing aggression from Russia, stating that Germany must "face the reality" of a potential Russian attack on a NATO state by 2029. This assertion is based on a risk analysis by the German army, which shows that Russia is expanding its military and switching to a war economy. Breuer warned that Russia's military buildup, including the production of 1,000 to 1,500 tanks annually, poses a significant threat to the EU.
NATO's Stance on Ukraine and China
The recent NATO summit in Washington reaffirmed Ukraine's irreversible path to joining the alliance, a move that has been met with strong opposition from Russia and China. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the NATO declaration as a "serious threat" to Russian security, accusing the alliance of moving its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders.
China also reacted strongly, urging NATO to stop "inciting confrontation" and criticizing the alliance's support for Ukraine. NATO leaders have accused China of being a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war against Ukraine, citing Beijing's partnership with Moscow and its support for the Russian defense sector. NATO's statement marks a significant escalation in its stance towards China, reflecting growing concerns over Beijing's increasing capabilities and activities in various domains, including outer space and cyber activities.
The NATO summit also highlighted the alliance's commitment to supporting Ukraine, including the establishment of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) to coordinate the supply of military equipment and training. The leaders emphasized that Ukraine's future lies within NATO, although no specific timeline for membership was provided.
- Breuer's call for a larger defense budget is echoed by political scientist Carlo Masala from the Bundeswehr University in Munich, who estimates that the Bundeswehr's needs would be between 3 and 3.5 percent of Germany's GDP. This would require a significant increase in the defense budget, including the special fund of 100 billion euros.
- Finance Minister Christian Lindner's refusal to suspend the debt brake is a major obstacle to increasing the defense budget. Lindner argues that declaring a budget emergency would allow exceptions to the debt brake, but this has not been pursued.
- NATO's increasing focus on Asia, particularly its engagement with US allies in the region, is seen as a response to the growing geopolitical challenges posed by China and Russia. The alliance's leaders have emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific region to Euro-Atlantic security and have committed to strengthening dialogue and cooperation to address interregional challenges.
