Germany is ready to rapidly deploy its forces to support allies with 35,000 prepared military personnel, states German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to him, Germany has managed to consistently respond to the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and against this backdrop, the Bundeswehr confirms its commitment to defending Northeastern and Central Europe.
"Almost 35,000 German soldiers are ready to provide operational support to our allies in case of an emergency," Scholz said.
He also noted that the security situation in the Baltic countries remains tense. The German Chancellor also reminded that two years ago Berlin took on the task of protecting Estonia's airspace, and this year - Latvia's.
Scholz also emphasized that Germany is ready to defend every square centimeter of NATO territory.
EU countries intend to create rapid response forces
Earlier, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, stated that Paris wants to create rapid reaction forces to protect European citizens. These forces would carry out tasks where the North Atlantic Alliance is incompetent.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also said that the European Union should take responsibility for strengthening its defense, given that the US is focused on countering China. He added that discussions about a European army create unnecessary confusion, as they involve the unification of national armies, which, in his opinion, will never happen.
