Thank you for listening to Depiction's Media Radio. Welcome to Policy Rights to show
about government policy and human rights. Okay, welcome back to policy and rights
here in Depictions Media Radio. I'm your host, Michael Cloggs. NATO is
or the North American Treaty Organization. It has been in existence for ever since
I can remember, and I remember it as a protection group against the Soviet
Union for those countries who stood on the other side of the ideals and I
and principles that the Soviet Union wanted the Eastern Bloc countries leading into from as
I remember, from the nineteen sixties, nineteen seventies into the nineteen eighties,
of course, into the fall of the Berlin Law. NATO still exists till
the day as a treaty as a defense mechanism to help protect countries like Canada,
the United States, Germany, England, France. I could keep going
on about which countries are are protected by the North American Treaty Organization and in
which case when we lead into the conversation that we're going to hear or press
conference we're going to hear in just a few minutes that they're now helping Ukraine
stand against the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation, as is described in this
press conference, is a war of aggression. We'll simply put most wars are
there's an aggressor and of course there's a defender. Sometimes maybe even two aggressors.
But at this point, maybe NATO should be a little bit more than
a defense organization and a little bit more of a organization that is trying to
bring peace to the table. And that's where where the issue is that according
to what we're going to hear that NATO countries are being asked to set aside
two percent of their GDP. Well, in a lot of cases that can
be that's quite a trunk of money, and money is to be spent on
defense so that NATO has access to troops that NATO can enact these troops in
order as a defense mechanism against enemies to the organization itself. And we have,
of course the United Nations that is trying to bring peace and trying to
in the war of aggression between Russian Ukraine by bringing them to a negotiation table.
We're going to hear statements about that negotiation table also that says that the
more territories that Ukraine can hold. Going into those negotiations means the better the
deal will actually be for NATO. Is NATO at this point trying to continue
a war, prolonged a war, or they try at this point trying to
end the war as quickly as possible and also end attacks on human beings.
Why don't we listen to what was said in the chancellery in Germany as NATO
gives a press conference, and we'll be back. Secretary General, dear Yans,
it's so nice to welcome you back to Berlin, to the chancellery.
The top of our agenda was the summit NATO is gathering in billions in three
weeks time. We're going to deal and discuss with dealing with the war of
aggression in Ukraine and its consequences. At the Madrid Summit one year ago,
we agreed on a range of steps in order to bolster and strengthen the alliance.
NATO is it defends alliance. Germany has done a lot in order to
increase the alliances defense capability. We're all united in our resolve to defend every
square inch of NATO territory. Last week, the federal government adopted its national
Security strategy for the first time in our history we have such a strategy.
It stipulates very clearly that the defense of our country and the defense of our
alliance have absolute priority for the bunds. There with the Special Fund to the
tune of one hundred billion, we have past important investments in order to modernize
our capabilities and enhance these, and we are going to spend two percent of
our GDP annually on defense. NATO is and remains the central and pivotal garantea
of our collective security. We are going to make reliably make available a major
part of there for the defense of the Alliance. In Already, Germany's very
engaged when it comes to the protection of our alliance in Central and Eastern Europe.
In Lithuania, for a long time we've been leading a multinational battle group
and with our Eurofighters and Patriot systems, we're protecting Poland and we're participating in
air port leasing in the Baltics. In addition, we keep almost seventeen thousand
soldiers ready for the Native Response Force in order to quickly lend assistance to threatened
allies. Our focus on the defense of the country and the alliance also means
that we exercise intensively together with our allies. Right now we have the exercise
Air Defender, the largest exercise of air forces in German skies in decades.
This past Friday again the first hand impression of the state of cooperation among allies.
In Yaga, I saw just how well twenty five nations are cooperating in
this exercise. In Europe, we need to invest in air defense. With
the European sky Shield Initiative, we gather the states of Europe in order to
increase together the protection against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drew. We should
be prepared that the Russian war of aggression may take a long time. We're
preparing for that and we're adapting our policies accordingly. Germany is going to support
Ukraine as long as it is necessary. We have earmarked the necessary funding in
our budget, and we are engaged and are committed to the fact that the
German industry enhances its capacities for production and the repair and maintenance of armaments.
It is clear NATO will not become a party to the war. Ladies and
gentlemen, NATO is a strong alliance. Last year Finland and Sweden decided to
join NATO and those countries are a welcome and an important addition to our alliance.
It is important to me that both countries will be gathered as allies in
Vilnius together with us. The Secretary General and myself also talked about the security
of critical infrastructure, especially in the North Sea. So I want to thank
you for your commitment that Nature is going to take over a coordinating role.
Sabotnas of gas pipelines, but also submarine cables and wind power plants affect the
security of all of the alliance. It's not a matter pertaining to just single
alliance. We tackle these tasks together within the Alliance, and I'm grateful the
good Corporation with the Nature, which you can represent like no other. Thank
you so also results they would love. Thank you so much for hosting me
here in Berlin, and also thank you so much for your leadership and for
your personal commitment to NATO, to the Transatlantic Alliance. We face the most
challenging security environment in a generation. Last the air prest and putins and hundreds
of thousands of tubes into Ukraine causing death and the destruction. Ukraine has the
right to liberate, liberate its own land and a counter offensive is now underway.
The more land the Ukrainians are able to liberate, the stronger their hand
will eventually be at the negotiating table. We all want this war to end,
but a just piece cannot mean freezing the conflict and accepting a deal dictated
by Russia. NATO is, as you said, no party to the conflict.
We stand by Ukraine in its right to self defense and shrined in the
UN Charter, and I commend Germany for its leading role in providing military,
financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and the recent decision to deliver another sixty four
Patriot missiles to Ukraine. This will save lives to day. We also discussed
our long term support. The Villainous Summit in July will set out a vision
for Ukraine's future as an independent, democratic member of the U Atlantic Family.
At the summit, Allies and will address Ukraine's membership aspirations. Allies are working
on a multi air package of assistance for Ukraine. We're also working to establish
a new NATO Ukraine Council to jointly consult on security issues of mutual concern.
The decisions we will take in Villneus will bring Ukraine closer to NATO. We
also addressed bolstering NATO's the terrence and defense. This will be high on the
agenda of our summit. We are now putting in place new regional plans with
assigned forces and capabilities and high level of readiness. Germany will play a major
part out of this. You have already allocated thousands of troops to NATO,
including through your leadership or our multinational battlegroup in Lithuania. I welcome Germany's first
ever national security strategy, which confirms your strong commitment to NATO. I'm also
thankful for Germany's leadership in establishing a new NATO Maritime Center for the security or
critical underseas infrastructure. This will increase our situation awareness and enhance our maritime presence.
Tomorrow I will attend Exercise Air Defender, the biggest air exercise in NATO's
history. This is an other demonstration of Germany's capabilities and commitment and sends a
clear message and Nature remains ready to defend every inch of Allied territory to keep
our people safe. We must continue to invest in our security. At the
NATO seventeen Livillnis, we will agree on a more ambitious defense investment. Fredge
with two percent of GDP as the floor, not a ceiling, and as
strongly welcome Germany's historic commitment to reach two percent. In twenty twenty four.
We also discussed the situation in Kosovo. NATO's commitment to our United Nations mandate
is unwavering. Our forces the k FOR will continue to take all necessary measures
to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom a movement for all communities in
Kosovo. We call on all parties to stop any further scalatory steps and to
return immediately to the dialogue facilitated by the European Union. So chances al,
thank you Games for Germany's leadership in this critical time of eat very much.
Secretary General Ukraine expects of the summit in Vilnius a formal invitation to NATO to
join nature. Would you say that after the Defense Ministry's meeting this past week,
such an invitation is off the table finally, and that we're just talking
about pledges below this threshold. And Federal Chancellor you mentioned time and again the
Decisions Declaration of Booker Rest in two thousand and eight, when Ukraine was given
a perspective for accession. Could use think that there is a formulation beyond awarding
beyond Bucharest. At in Vilnius, at the Vilnius Summit, and in the
preparations for the we're not discussing to issue a formal invitation. What we are
discussing is how to move Ukraine closer to NATO. And there are ongoing consultations,
and I'm not in a position to preempt the outcome of those consultations.
But what I can say is that allies, actually alladay agree on a lot.
We agree on that NATO's door is open. We are demonstrated that with
the invitation of Finland and Sweden. We also agree on what we stated in
two thousand and eight that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance. We
also agree that it's not for Russia, but for Ukraine and night to Allies
to decide when the time is right to invite Ukraine. Russia doesn't have a
vto over natal decisions. But most importantly, we all agree that the most
urgent and important task now is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a servant in
the democratic nation in Europe. Because unless we do that, unless Ukraine prevails,
there's no issue to be discussed at all related to membership. So therefore
I'm absolutely confident that at the Business summit i'll as we iterate a strong support
to Ukraine and they need to both blattery but also through multilateral institutions provide support
Ukraine for as long as it takes. I don't have much to add.
We have the Bucharest decision, the bookarestcisition is remains, the book Arest decision
remains, and we need to focus on the task at hand. We need
to support Ukraine to defend its country, its integrity and sovereignty. Next question,
please, Federal Chancellor, you stipulate this within the national security strategy you
mentioned the two percent goal of NATO. Now their demands by Estonia the ally
to increase the objective, to increase it to two point five and to make
it the floor and not the ceiling. Do you agree the Federal government?
Does the Federal government agree the defense budget is not supposed to increase that much
next year? And Secretary General on the two percent goal in the national security
strategy which you commended right now, it reads that Germany wants to achieve this
in a multi annual average, meaning that it would be okay if it would
be below two percent for one year or another. Is that enough for you?
And as from a NATO perspective, thank you very much for these questions.
We took all the necessary preparations for us to reach the two percent goal.
We do this with the federal budget, but also by using the special
fund that was conceived to actually be able to spend two percent. And in
the law passing this special fund, you see the funding available and you could
actually spend one year, spend more than others. But our outlook is two
percent. Our perspective is two percent. I assume once all countries in europeath
exceive this, and all members in the Transatlantic Alliance, this will lead to
a tremendous increase in our defense capabilities. I mean, it's a massive increase
in defense spending. And if you look at all the many other countries and
factor this in countries that also need to increase their spend for them to reach
the two percent objective, then if you add all of this up, this
will result in a massive increase of defense capabilities for NATO. First of all,
I would like to welcome the very strong commitment of Germany to reach two
percent, and not only the commitment, but actually the fact that we have
seen German defense spending going up significantly and also of course by the special fund
of one hundred billion euros, and the whole message from the site. Mender
has really sent a very clear message about further increases and under strengthened commitment of
Germany to contribute to our shared security, to our collected defense in NATO and
AD's something I welcome and we have seen that commitment not only words but also
indeeds. Because Germany has taken important decisions to acquire new modern kaputies, including
fighter jets and more air defenses and many other types of defense capilities which are
important for Germany but also for the whole of NATO, then they need to
reach two percent. Reflects the fact that we live in a more dangerous world.
And again it will be for the leaders when they meet in Villius to
decide the exact language. But I have argued in favor of regarding two percent
as a minimum because when you look at the capability targets, the capities we
need to strengthen or collect the defense in the way we have agreed for many
countries it will require actually more than two percent. Then, of course the
realities that we have a two percent guideline, there will always be fluctuations in
GDP. So certainly you have a pandemic and GDP goes down and then you
may have very high percentage. So these kind of fluctuations will always be the
case. But there is a big difference fluctuating around one percent or one and
a half percent and fructure entering around two percent. So the most important is
that we have a significant increase defense spending and that we meet the capility targets
which we agree in which we have agreed in NATO. It add one brief
thing, and that is that from our own experience as as a politician in
minutes of Finance and and Prime Minister, I know that it's never easy to
increase defense spending because if you spend more on defense, there's something less.
There is less for health care, for education, for all the important things.
But the reality is that when we live in a more dangerous world,
we just have to pay the price of investing more in defense because without peace
and security, all the other things we are striving for, climate change prosperity
will not Some were able to addrest them. If we don't ensure peace and
security, they can Secretary General, I would like to ask a question pertaining
to your own future. Could you say whether you would be available for an
extension of your term in office? There are more and more governments proposing this
so that you would remain in office until April of next year, because people
have not agreed on a successor male or female and Federal transfer. A question
pertaining to another topic, Intel, the company Intel has made tremendous investments in
Israel, twenty five billion Poland and five billion in Israel and Poland? Is
the government going to pay ten billion in SUBBEYCE subsidies so that Intel will establish
a business location in market? Also, I'm nothing new to say about this.
I have no intention of the seeking extension of my term. My only
plan is to is to be focused on my Tusker sector Jenner Roll and do
my job here until my tender end this this fall. And I really know
all the plans. Thank you very much. Thank you very much for this
question. As you know, I'm going to meet representatives of Intel today,
it was publicly announced and I will answer your questions at a different press conference.
Federal and Chancellor you talked about the priority of country defense. You reiterated
this shouldn't this be reflected in the regular defense budget. You're in the final
phase of budget deliberations. Are we going to see a higher defense budget?
And Secretary General you talked about the two percent, which are not the bottom,
not the ceiling. Don't you see a contradiction, a clear contradiction with
regard to the security strategy, which is talking about a multi annual average that
keeps the backdoor open to less and not strives to have more than two percent
like you, Thank you very much for your question. Let me reiterate.
We have proposed an ambitious enhancement of our defense effort and we assume that with
the funding from the budget and the funds that we have from the Special Fund,
that we will be able to achieve the two percent threshold. If you
don't insist on copyright, I will reiterate what the Secretary General just said.
I will take it over one hundred percent, and I will ask the breath
Secretary to say that it was my statement on not the Secretary generals. You
can take that no problem. First of all, Also, the thing is
that the national security is a very important document and a welcome that and the
expresses and formulate it's a very strong commitment of Germany to our collected defense,
to a transatlantic bond, to NATO and also the need to invest more in
defense. And as I said, if you look at Europe on average,
the fluctuations have been around one point five percent more or less, and of
course if the fluctuations ends up around two percent, we are in a very
different world, which will be a huge improvement. Second, when I refer
to two percent as a minimum, that reflects the reality that when you look
on the NATO capility targets that the forces we agreed to have on high readiness
and then the force structure we need to actually deliver on on strengthening or collected
defense. Then for many allies, depending on how much they invests invested in
the past where they are, this will necessarily mean more than two percent,
and also fluctuations on levels about two percent, But with uncertain as related to
GDP, there will always be flutuations. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our
presence. Most of us want peace. Most of us common citizens don't want
to hear about drone strikes, bombs being dropped attacks on other countries, attacks
on cities where um damns are are exploding, and we definitely don't want it
in our own neighborhood. We want to keep war out of our lives in
general, because ultimately being the everyday people who our children are the ones that
may have to go off and fight the war. And we don't want to
see our children coming back in body bags, nor do we want to see
anybody else's children around the world come home to their parents in a body bag
or a pine box. We have to find a way to convince NATO and
other organizations that peace and talking is the foremost way to settle our differences so
that we have our children with us, that we get to watch our grandchildren
grow and generations to come of human beings just live in peace. Thank you
for listening to Depicttion's Media Radio. I've been your host Michael Clogs and please
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