In a speech given to executives of the German army, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Germany to become the "best-equipped force in Europe."
Traditionally criticised for a lack of investment in its defence, especially with regards to meeting NATO's 2% of GDP requirement, Germany seems to have drastically changed its defence policy since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On the one hand, the German Federal Government established a €100 billion fund to upgrade the German army's weaponry, and on the other, the Chancellor now wants his country to take the lead in protecting Europe.
Scholz noted in his speech that "as the most populous nation, with the largest economic strength, and positioned in the heart of the continent, our army must become Europe's pillar of conventional defence and the best-equipped force in Europe."
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However, this shift in policy did not come easily for the German Federal Government, who have faced much criticism earlier this year for not giving adequate military support to Ukraine.
While Scholz' coalition partners (Die Grünen and the liberal FDP) have apparently been putting pressure on the Chancellor to deliver the requested tanks to Kyiv, according to Deutsche Welle.
To that end, the German Chancellor does not want to go at it alone and has urged European NATO members to assume greater responsibility within the alliance.
He wants NATO to commit to a coordinated increase in European capabilities in order to reinforce the alliance's "European pillar."
