Annalena Baerbock, the German Federal Foreign Minister, calls for more NATO support for Ukraine. “Russia will remain the greatest threat to our security and freedom in Europe for the foreseeable future,” said Baerbock in a Bundestag debate on the upcoming NATO summit in Washington next week. The West must take action to defend freedom and democracy. “We didn’t choose this,” said Baerbock. “We didn’t want this.” Germany has a special responsibility in this regard and has now regained lost trust due to its Russia policy. “We must not squander this in the budget negotiations,” warned the minister, referring to the current dispute over the budget for 2025.
She added that Germany must continue making further investments in security despite intense pressure to make cuts in difficult negotiations over the 2025 budget.
Previously Foreign Minister Baerbock warned about Russia’s threat during her speech at the conference “The National Security Strategy one year on”:
«We see that Putin’s aim is to challenge Europe’s security further.
Putin’s Russia will remain the biggest threat to our security in Europe for the foreseeable future. And that’s why our security measures can only be a first step.
In terms of ideology, Putin’s Russia is heading towards totalitarianism. Vladimir Putin’s imperialism will not stop at Ukraine. This has been apparent time and again in his speeches. Looking at the figures, we can see that Russia is preparing its armed forces for a major war, with plans for a war economy for many years to come.»
NATO’s 75th anniversary summit will be held in Washington, DC, from 9 to 11 July.
On Wednesday, a number of foreign policy experts urged NATO members to refrain from advocating for Ukraine’s inclusion at the summit in Washington, citing the potential danger of jeopardizing the United States and its allies and dissolving the coalition.
It was reported that NATO allies had agreed to provide €40 billion in military aid to Ukraine next year.
Recently, the media also reported that the summit will announce the creation of a new structure to coordinate assistance to Ukraine in the long term. Ministers agreed a plan on how NATO will lead the coordination of security assistance and training. “This will allow NATO leaders to launch this effort at the Washington Summit in July, putting our support to Ukraine on a firmer footing for years to come,” said Mr Stoltenberg. With a command in Wiesbaden, Germany, NATO will coordinate training and equipment donations, with nearly 700 personnel from Allied and partner nations involved in this effort. NATO will also facilitate equipment logistics and provide support to the long-term development of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. “These efforts do not make NATO a party to the conflict, but they will enhance our support to Ukraine to uphold its right to self-defence,” said the Secretary General.
A representative of US President Joe Biden’s administration also noted that the Washington summit will send Putin a “strong signal” that he will not be able to outlast the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine.
