European military chiefs defend rearmament against Russia

Germany’s Armed Forces have a record budget in 2026 in the face of growing geopolitical tension in Europe. Alexander Welscher/dpa/picture alliance via DW The heads of the Armed Forces of Germany and the United Kingdom defended the rearmament of Europe in the face of the threat that Russia poses to the continent. In a joint article published on Sunday (15), they suggested the end of the post-Cold War era, known as “peace dividends” and in which governments reduced spending on defense and security. ✅ Follow g1’s international news channel on WhatsApp The head of the German Armed Forces, General Carsten Breuer, and the UK Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, said they spoke “as voices of a Europe that now needs to confront uncomfortable truths about its security”. The United Kingdom and Germany are two of the greatest European military powers. Published in the British newspapers “The Guardian” and German newspapers “Die Welt”, the article coincided with the end of the 62nd Munich Security Conference, where political and military leaders from dozens of countries gathered. According to Breuer and Knighton, Russia’s military posture has “shifted decisively toward the West,” with the country rearming and “reorganizing itself in ways that may increase the risk of conflict” with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). See the videos that are trending on g1 At the conference, the leadership of the European Union (EU) also pointed to the renewal of the regional security strategy, citing Russian “imperialism” as a threat to the West, beyond Ukraine’s borders. “We know that Moscow’s intentions go beyond the current conflict. But the good news is that Europe is powerful. NATO is the most successful military alliance in history and today, together, its military might remains unsurpassed,” wrote Breuer and Knighton. “We have sophisticated capabilities in the land, sea, air and cyber domains, as well as nuclear deterrence.” Bigotry against the Kremlin The theme of the Russian threat dominated the conference in Munich, with different panels calling on Europeans to coordinate efforts. Spokespeople for a reinforced security project have resorted to jingoism in antagonism to the Kremlin, accused by Europeans of waging a hybrid war and acts of sabotage against Europe. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Yves Herman/Reuters/Alexander Kazakov/Pool/AFP At the event, the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, praised the bloc’s identity, achievements and power of attraction. Breuer and Knighton stated that, if Russia perceives weakness or disunity in Europe, “it may feel encouraged to expand its aggression.” “Military readiness must mean a strong defense industry,” they wrote, asserting there is a “moral” component to rearmament. An EU security initiative is expected to inject 150 billion euros to strengthen the sector. Kallas, in turn, further identified EU enlargement as “the antidote to Russian imperialism”. Nine Eastern European countries that were under the sphere of influence of the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine, are candidates to join the bloc. Germany: Record Defense Budget Americans and Europeans defend unity at security conference Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a turnaround in Germany’s security policy, which had previously been based on military containment. The government has allocated an unprecedented budget for the Armed Forces this year, with more than 108 billion euros (R$670 billion) available. The amount is financed by the current federal budget, in a period of austerity, and by special funds for which the government is taking out loans. German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz predicted last year that Germany will have the strongest armed forces in Europe. In turn, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he fears that Russia may be capable of launching an attack against NATO territory as early as 2029. For the first time, the German Armed Forces are ordering several thousand combat drones, in addition to having inaugurated production of the equipment together with Ukraine. Last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received the first German-Ukrainian-made drone, part of an initiative to supply his soldiers with 10,000 units per year. London-Brussels Connection Breuer and Knighton’s letter highlighted Germany’s efforts to make “essentially unrestricted defense funding” available, as well as the construction of munitions factories in the United Kingdom. According to military chiefs, Europe needs “resilient infrastructure, high-tech research and development by the private sector, and national institutions prepared to function under increasing threats.” A decade after the United Kingdom left the EU, both have been reinforcing their openness to deepen security cooperation. “Our future is more connected than ever,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyern in Munich, asserting that the two sides “will always remain united.” The tone of unity was also echoed in the article published by military leaders on Sunday.

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