Stoltenberg: Germany emerging as major military power

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Germany's growing defence role within the alliance, saying the country is on its way to becoming a major military power.

In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine, Stoltenberg said Germany's position within NATO has changed significantly in recent years as defence spending has increased.

“That’s correct, and I welcome it,” he said when asked whether Germany could soon assume a new role within the alliance.

“I remember well the time when your country ranked fourth in defence spending, behind the U.S., the U.K., and France. That has changed radically,” Stoltenberg asserted.

“Germany is on its way to becoming a major military power,” he noted, adding that German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius had made a significant contribution to the country's military transformation.

Stoltenberg also cautioned against taking NATO's long-term future for granted, saying the alliance's continued existence cannot be guaranteed.

“No one can guarantee that NATO will exist forever. But I think that heads of state and government should now speculate less about future scenarios and instead focus on urgently needed measures,” he said.

The former NATO chief argued that European members of the alliance should have increased their defence spending sooner in response to growing security challenges.

Stoltenberg said European NATO countries have begun investing more heavily in defence, pointing to Germany as a notable example, but suggested the process could have moved faster.

“They have begun to do so; we have seen a significant increase in defence spending, including in Germany. But, of course, all of this could have happened faster,” he said.

By Sabina Mammadli