Berlin unable to fulfill NATO commitment due to Kiev support, funding
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A report shows the lack of funding and the continued support for Ukraine have made it difficult for Berlin to fulfill its commitment to the alliance.
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German soldiers stand with guns and bazookas at the army base Field Marshal Rommel Barracks in Augustdorf, Germany, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. (AP)
An internal appraisal by Germany's Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr, stated, as cited by the media outlet Bild, that due to the continued support for Kiev, as well as a lack of funding, the nation has failed to fulfill its NATO commitments.
A 14-page analysis put forward early in March and published on Tuesday noted that the combat readiness of the German NATO division that was pledged for 2025 will only be "limited".
The analysis, which was initially sent by Inspector of the Army Alfons Mais to Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Carsten Breuer, explained that a tank division that was expected to constitute a part of the new unit had faced a 21% staff shortage last month. Moreover, it was also reported that the division lacks the necessary equipment which, according to Inspector Mais, “will not be sufficiently available in the foreseeable future.”
The Inspector also warned that in the event that the military leadership decided to transfer hardware from existing units, the division would still not likely be ready vis-à-vis equipment needs by 2025.
Catastrophe extends
The report further alleged that the problem has not been isolated to one unit but has been prevalent in the military. To make matters worse, according to the report, Berlin's purported prioritizing of NATO commitments implied that the demands of the rest of the Bundeswehr must be put on the back burner.
Inspector Mais, as quoted by Bild, proclaimed that “despite all efforts, the division will only be able to produce a limited combat readiness in 2025.”
Additionally, the news outlet suggested that the “continued underfunding” of the German military, as well as the military aid provided to Ukraine, in terms of personnel training and equipment has exasperated the situation.
Berlin has no armed forces capable of defending the country: Pistorius
This comes as German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confessed that the German army is incapable of protecting the country in the event of war due to a dearth of manpower and inadequate infrastructure.
Pistorius made his striking remarks at the congress of the Social Democratic Party of Germany on February 27.
"We have no armed forces that are able to protect us from an offensive and brutal war," he tersely stated.
The Minister advised that Berlin should invest more in the "modernization of its army," stressing that the country has to fulfill its obligations toward other members of NATO in reference to sending lethal weapons to Ukraine.
Read more: German Chief of Staff sacked for doubting Ukraine's army last year
