Title: Germany: Europe Needs to Accelerate its Defense Capabilities

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that "Europe must expedite its efforts to ensure it can defend itself better, as new military threats could arise by the end of this decade, even as its U.S. ally shifts its security focus towards the Indo-Pacific region." A report quoted Pistorius in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, noting that Russia is significantly increasing its arms production to continue its invasion of Ukraine, while also posing a threat to the Baltic states, Georgia, and Moldova. He emphasized that the region will need time to boost its weapon production and added, "We have approximately five to eight years to keep pace with this in terms of armed forces, industry, and society." He ruled out the possibility of the German military undertaking missions as extensive as those it carried out in Afghanistan and Mali at this time. The United States is likely to reduce its military involvement in Europe as it increasingly shifts its focus toward the Indo-Pacific region.