“There is no alternative”
Breuer calls for missile defense systems against Russia
March 22, 2024, 1:04 a.m
The Commander-in-Chief of the Bundeswehr clearly urges people to build up defenses quickly in order to be able to defend themselves against a possible attack from Russia. The special assets must be spent, purchases must be made as quickly as possible and constant defense must be secured.
Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer is calling for a rapid development of missile defense against possible threats from Russia. “We have five to eight years. During this period we have to build up a missile defense. There is no alternative,” said Breuer in an interview. “We see Russia capable of waging war against NATO states within a period of five to eight years. By then, we in Germany must also be able to repel such an attack,” emphasized Breuer. Its solution within the NATO alliance is necessary.
Russian President Vladimir Putin makes no secret of his intentions towards the West, said Breuer. “That doesn’t mean that such an attack has to become a reality in five to eight years. But it is possible. As a military, I have to be prepared for the worst case scenario, and that means we have to be ready to defend ourselves in five years. An attack can take place across the full spectrum – from cyberattacks to drones to missiles.”
At the same time, the inspector general rejected statements about freezing the war in Ukraine. “Freezing a war requires acceptance on both sides. There is hardly a frozen conflict in the world that has not flared up again. The current military situation in Ukraine makes freezing the war seem neither possible nor desirable,” said Breuer clearly. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich asked the question in the Bundestag: “Isn’t it time that we not only talk about how to fight a war, but also think about how we can freeze a war and end it later?”
To strengthen the Bundeswehr, the federal government had set up a special fund worth 100 billion euros. According to Breuer, 80 percent of the funds are currently committed and are expected to be fully committed by the end of the year. However, not everything that is ordered is available immediately. “We are currently going through a trough. Much of the material has been ordered, but so far the troops have not received it to the extent that I would like,” said Breuer. He sees the 100 billion euros as “start-up financing”. “We need defense spending to be stabilized. The defense budget must be permanently at two percent of economic output,” warned the Inspector General.