The German Army Association sees no improvements within the armed forces, despite the government decision last February to invest 100 billion euros. “At the moment we are still in free fall,” chairman André Wüstner told public broadcaster ARD.
Complaints have been made about the poor state of the armed forces for years and parliament raised the alarm about it in March. Among other things, there is a shortage of equipment and it is difficult to recruit young people. The investment announced shortly after the invasion of Ukraine is not tangible, according to Wüstner. That means that the state of the army is getting worse, according to the chairman.
It is now a matter of making decisions for a change of course in the fourth quarter, according to Wüstner. He argues for sustainable plans in the defense budget, worth at least 75 billion euros. “Otherwise we don’t even have to start.” In the interview with the ARD, the chairman also expressed his support for Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht’s call for a leading role for the German army in Europe.
Wüstner’s statements came just before the start of a conference on the future course of the army. The multi-day meeting in Berlin will be attended by, among others, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Lambrecht, senior army officials and military experts.