Despite the changing military-political situation in the European Union and the requirements of U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen Germany is not prepared to increase its military budget and spend more money on military needs, said the head of the defense Ministry of Germany Ursula von der Leyen.
" Our defence budget is 32 billion euros, and this is the last word ", - the Minister said during a meeting of NATO in Brussels, writes que Welt (translation provided by the Center for current politics). Now Germany spends only 1, 3% of its GDP on defence, which is appreciably lower than 2%, which is the authority of the North Atlantic community. Germany, Thus, is placed only on the 14-th place on defense spending among all NATO countries. The head of the defense Ministry stressed that Germany is able to maintain the current level of payment and at the same time to invest in the development of new military technology." The question is not in percentage. The question is, most importantly, in the efficient use of funds, " said von der Leyen. Anyway, the politician showed solidarity with other members of the Commonwealth. Eastern European NATO members " have the opportunity in full force to count on our solidarity, " she said. In her expression, " must, So to build a defense Eastern allies to multinational contingent of NATO could be there rotary and flexible, but is not static and non-stop ". That is, says the magazine, Germany is prepared from time to time to participate in NATO exercises, sending them as the Minister said, " functional unit ". Thus, Germany, Denmark and Poland have decided to strengthen the building of " North-East " in the Polish city of Szczecin. Now the case is expected to modernize, strengthen and increase its combat readiness. Germany, for example, will increase twice the size of its contingent in Szczecin, comprising 60 soldiers. Remember, in the spring of NATO in connection with the events around Ukraine took a decision to place additional military personnel to " enhance combat readiness and exercises ", and to review plans for the defense. In addition, the Alliance decided to enhance air patrols in the East of Europe, to guide ships into the Baltic sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. In June the US Ambassador at NATO Douglas Lute said the Alliance wants to increase the presence in the region until the end of 2014.

sections: Politics