German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has warned that Germany is not prepared to protect itself from the security challenges Europe will face in the future.
Boris Pistorius, who has frequently called for Germany to be “war ready” since taking office last year, questioned Germany's preparedness.
“Are we seriously prepared to defend this country in an emergency? And who are 'us'? We need to have this discussion,” Pistorius told soldiers at the military academy in Hamburg, according to the Guardian. He is said to have said. German publication Tagesspiegel.
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Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrives to attend the weekly Federal Government Cabinet meeting in Berlin, Germany, on January 24, 2024. (Maya Hitiji/Getty Images)
Mr Pistorius added that the peace and freedom enjoyed by the majority of Europe was “no longer an irrefutable certainty”.
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He argued that Germany is being “more strongly and actively challenged than ever before as an active participant in security and policy.”
On December 11, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin (Republican) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Hmeimim Air Base in Syria's Latakia Governorate. (Russia-Flight/Sputnik/Mikhail Klimenchev/via Reuters/File Photo)
The defense minister's comments came as recently leaked German documents indicate Russia could escalate its war against Ukraine by attacking NATO allies next year.
German newspaper Bild has published a classified document outlining how Germany plans to prepare for an attack by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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The paper based its claim on information obtained from the German Defense Ministry and said that European militaries were preparing for a Russian attack on Eastern Europe, which could include a cyber attack.
FOX News' Greg Wenner contributed to this report.
