Baltic Sea as a Russian “testing Ground,” German Officials Warn
Berlin – At the Berlin Security Conference, german Defense Minister Boris Pistorius declared the Baltic Sea a key area of confrontation with Russia, characterizing it as “Putin’s testing ground for our ability to deter and respond.” He pointed to a pattern of concerning activity, including damage to submarine cables, airspace violations, and drone overflights, stating, “We can no longer talk about coincidences here. It’s strategy. It’s harbingers.”
The conference, hosted with Sweden as the partner country, also saw the promotion of Dutch military officer Martin Bonn to major general. Bonn will serve as deputy to the German field army commander, marking a new level of cooperation.
NATO general Ingo Gerhartz used the conference as a platform to urge Germany to significantly bolster its defense capabilities.He emphasized the need for fundamental procurement reform, swift implementation of the recently agreed-upon military service, and increased defense preparedness across German society to effectively counter current and escalating hybrid threats.
Gerhartz stated, “Germany as a whole has not yet reached the strategic maturity that is required in our time,” adding that simply investing in capabilities is insufficient for Germany to become “a developed security actor.” He highlighted the lengthy debates surrounding military service and the challenges facing german arms production and procurement processes as areas of concern for Russia.
The general warned that damaging the credibility of the defense alliance must be avoided, asserting that NATO must be able to “deter through Germany.” He also called for a re-evaluation of deterrence strategies in the context of hybrid attacks and actions falling below the threshold for invoking Article 5 assistance. “We have to rethink our attitude to deterrence,” Gerhartz demanded.
Over 140 experts are participating in the two-day Berlin Security Conference, focusing on strengthening defense in Europe and addressing threats to NATO and the EU. Discussions center on bolstering arms production and exploring new technologies to enhance security.
[Source: ntv.de, lme/dpa]
