Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was shown a Bundeswehr combat exercise at the Bergen military training area (Celle district) on Monday. Panzerhaubitzen 2000, combat helicopters and Eurofighters were also used. Scholz said it was important to him that the Bundeswehr be able to carry out its tasks, “especially the important and again important task of national and alliance defense”. The attack that Russia launched against Ukraine, which continues unabated, has shown that this is necessary.
With the attack, the security architecture of Europe was terminated. Russia is trying to use force to move borders. Everything must therefore be done “to ensure that we defend our alliance area and our country well”. With the Special assets over 100 billion euros a “change of path” is being organized for the Bundeswehr. In the long run, the Bundeswehr must be equipped with two percent of economic output. “Organizing this change of path well so that we can buy the right weapons and make the right decisions is the task now,” said Scholz. Scholz said nothing about a possible further delivery from the Bundeswehr stock to Ukraine.
The combat exercise was part of a two-week training exercise for future leaders of the Bundeswehr. Soldiers from the Bundeswehr Command and Staff Academy in Hamburg and the Army Officers’ School in Dresden take part in the training. Before the combat exercise, Scholz had tanks, weapons and systems shown and explained to him, including the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, the Leopard 2 main battle tank and the Leguan armored bridge laying vehicle.
