German minister: Europe must accelerate defense capabilities amid expected new threats

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Europe must accelerate ensuring its ability to defend itself better, as new military threats could arise by the end of the current decade. This comes at a time when the security focus of its ally, the United States, is shifting towards the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. 

A report quoted Pistorius as saying in an interview with Welt am Sonntag that Russia is significantly increasing its weapons production to continue its invasion of Ukraine, posing a threat to the Baltic states, Georgia, and Moldova. 

The United States is likely to reduce its military presence in Europe as it increasingly shifts towards the Indian and Pacific Oceans. 

Pistorius said, "In Europe, we must increase communication to ensure the security of our continent," but he noted that the region will need time to increase its weapon production. 

He added, "We have approximately between five and eight years to catch up in terms of military, industrial, and societal capabilities." 

He ruled out the German army currently repeating missions on the same scale as those carried out in Afghanistan and Mali. 

Reuters