Ukraine crisis as a wake-up call: FDP is also demanding more money for the Bundeswehr

Ukraine crisis as a wake-up call
The FDP is also demanding more money for the Bundeswehr

In the Ukraine crisis, the financial situation of the Bundeswehr appears in a new light. For the 2022 budget, the expenses for the troops should actually decrease. Defense Minister Lambrecht calls for an increase. The FDP and Finance Minister Lindner now agree with her.

The FDP has joined Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht in calling for an increase in the military budget in view of the Ukraine conflict. The Munich Security Conference was a confirmation “of what is obvious: we need more budgetary funds,” said Marie-Agnes Strack-zimmerman, chairwoman of the Bundestag Defense Committee, to “Welt”.

Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner also spoke out in favor of higher defense spending. “We have to equip the Bundeswehr in such a way that it can do its job justice,” said the FDP leader on Sunday in ARD’s “Report from Berlin”. He did not want to name an exact amount.

Defense Minister Lambrecht called for an increase in the defense budget at the Munich Security Conference in view of the Ukraine crisis. In view of the transfer of additional Bundeswehr soldiers to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, she pointed out the troop’s capacity limits. The SPD politician warned that if there were other tasks, “as defense minister, she would reach the limits of my possibilities.” Defense spending must be increased so that Germany can remain a “reliable partner” within NATO.

Budget 2022: defense budget should decrease

Lambrecht pointed out that national and alliance defense was one of the core tasks of the German armed forces. “They have to be equipped in the best possible way for this, and that also means that the defense budget must continue to increase,” said the minister in an interview with “Spiegel”.

The federal government is currently deliberating on the 2022 budget. This is expected to be decided by the cabinet on March 9th. On this date, the government also wants to decide on the key points for the budget for 2023 and the medium-term financial planning up to 2026. So far, according to “Spiegel”, it is planned that the defense budget will drop from the current 50.3 billion euros to 47.3 billion. The budget for the Bundeswehr should decrease further by 2026.

source site-34