Germany, France, Poland
Weimar Triangle wants to massively arm Europe
April 3, 2024, 8:08 a.m
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In the face of Russian imperialism, the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland want to use Europe’s “entire industrial potential” for rearmament. Ukraine should also be made even more powerful. A new NATO mission could help.
In view of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland are urging even greater armament in Europe. “We must use the entire industrial potential of our continent to improve our military capabilities,” wrote Annalena Baerbock, Stéphane Séjourné and Radoslaw Sikorski in a guest article on the news site Politico.
This permanent rearmament requires binding long-term contracts with clear timetables, a “certain level of ambition” and firm financial commitments and purchase guarantees from European governments. Spending two percent of gross domestic product on defense could be “just a starting point.”
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic military alliance NATO on Thursday, the three foreign ministers of the so-called Weimar Triangle wrote further: “The USA has long shouldered a greater burden than the rest of our alliance. But collective defense is our joint effort.” In this respect, European defense must be strengthened and thus contribute to transatlantic security.
“Gray areas and concessions to Putin are naive”
In the US election year, many NATO member states are worried that the military superpower could turn away from its alliance obligations under a possible election winner Donald Trump. With a view to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war of aggression in Ukraine, the foreign ministers reiterated that NATO must continue to show a clear stance: “So that Europe can live in peace, Russian imperialism must be stopped.” Gray areas and concessions to Putin are “naïve” and are seen by the Kremlin chief as only an invitation for aggressive behavior and the use of military force.
The foreign ministers of the NATO countries want to press ahead with preparations for the next alliance summit at a meeting in Brussels this Wednesday. Specifically, the question will be how support for Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia, can be made even more effective. According to diplomats, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has made several suggestions. Among other things, they stipulate that a NATO mission will in future be responsible for coordinating arms deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces.