German Army Chief General Carsten Breuer emphasized the importance of his forces being "qualified to wage war" within five years, as they have been conducting training to enhance their capabilities since the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine, in an interview published on Saturday.
General Carsten Breuer told the conservative German newspaper "Die Welt," "Based on various analyses, and when I see the potential threat posed by Russia, it means for us a preparation time of between 5 to 8 years." He stressed that "this does not mean that a war will break out then, but it is possible."
He stated, "As a military man, I say: in 5 years, we must be qualified to wage war. This is the first time since the end of the Cold War that we find ourselves facing the possibility of an externally imposed war. Regardless of the provision of equipment, it is also about a change in mindset that we must undergo; there must be a change in mentality within society and especially among the ranks of the German army."
He noted that this involves "raising the level of threat for the adversary to the point that they decide not to attack," adding, "This is deterrence."
Germany has pursued a largely pacifist policy since the Nazi atrocities and has begun to gradually reassess its position over the past two years following the Russian attack on Ukraine by resuming its rearmament, after relying for decades on the United States through NATO.
Regarding NATO, General Carsten Breuer acknowledged that his country would not be able to provide some promised capabilities until later than expected, without specifying their nature for security reasons.
Under NATO's new strategy in the areas of deterrence and defense, Germany aims to maintain 35,000 soldiers in a state of high readiness in the future. This includes a fully equipped ground forces division ready to intervene starting in 2025, and another starting in 2027, as well as approximately 200 aircraft and ships, in addition to military support capabilities, as confirmed by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
