The joint declaration was strikingly (laughably, insultingly) devoid of detail. But it is a distraction from a simple truth: Germany is underspending on defence, Boris Pistorius knows this, he has been knocked back massively for next year’s budget, and Olaf Scholz doesn’t want to increase the Bundeswehr’s budget by anything like what’s needed. We can pour warm words in Berlin’s ear all we like but that is the fundamental challenge.
The joint declaration was strikingly (laughably, insultingly) devoid of detail. But it is a distraction from a simple truth: Germany is underspending on defence, Boris Pistorius knows this, he has been knocked back massively for next year’s budget, and Olaf Scholz doesn’t want to increase the Bundeswehr’s budget by anything like what’s needed. We can pour warm words in Berlin’s ear all we like but that is the fundamental challenge.