The Bad News Bundeswehr: An Examination of the Truly Dire State of Germany's Military
#International #Germany #Bundeswehr #Defense #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Ukraine #GermanPolitics

Last February, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the country was going to invest substantially in its military․ But not much has happened since then․ And now Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has been replaced․ DER SPIEGEL takes a closer look at what is ailing the Bundeswehr․

The Last Taboo: Germany's Leopard Tanks Are a Game Changer with Significant Risks
#International #World #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Russia #VladimirPutin #Ukraine #GermanForeignPolicy #Bundeswehr #NATO #Defense #UnitedStates #OlafScholz #JoeBiden

With the delivery of Leopard battle tanks from Germany, the Ukraine war is entering into a new and dangerous phase․ Olaf Scholz must now clean up the political damage he has caused, hold his country together and find a path with his international partners to end the conflict․

Hensoldt's Headache: Documents Hint at Shady Dealings By Prominent German Defense Company
#International #Business #Defense #Qatar #Africa

Hensoldt AG is one of the key players in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's plan to boost German defense spending․ But internal documents from the company suggest it may have been involved in dubious kickbacks in Qatar and Uganda․

Ukraine: How Merkel Prevented Ukraine's NATO Membership (A DER SPIEGEL Reconstruction)
#International #Europe #Ukraine #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Russia #VladimirPutin #NATO #TransAtlanticRelations #AngelaMerkel #Defense

In April 2008, NATO deliberated on admitting Ukraine as a new member as a show of strength against Vladimir Putin․ Washington favored the move, but the Germans thwarted the plan․ A reconstruction of a decision that ended in disaster․