German Foreign Minister Warns of Russian Threat and Supports Defense Spending Boost

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned of the direct threat posed by Russia to security and stability in Germany and Europe, noting that the Russian war on Ukraine remains the greatest danger to the continent.

This came during statements made by the minister belonging to the Christian Democratic Union party to the German media group "Funke", where he said: "Russia also directly threatens our lives in peace and freedom in Germany", emphasizing that the liberation of Ukraine is a decisive test for the future of Europe, adding: "The freedom of Ukraine is the most important standard for our resilience as Europeans".

Maas praised NATO's decisions during its recent summit in The Hague, which included raising defense spending for member countries to 5% of GDP, describing this step as "correct and necessary" to address security challenges. He also criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that he "undermines the morale of Ukrainians with indiscriminate shelling".

In a related context, the German coalition government witnessed a clear division among its parties regarding the policy towards Russia, as several leaders of the Social Democratic Party criticized what they described as "military alarmist rhetoric and massive rearmament programs", calling for diplomatic solutions instead of escalation.

On the other hand, Lars Klingbeil, the current leader of the Social Democratic Party and deputy chancellor, announced his rejection of any change in his country's policy towards Russia, emphasizing the need to "make every effort to protect against Russian threats in the era of Putin".

It is worth mentioning that the current German government consists of a coalition comprising the Christian Democratic Union (led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz), the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, and the Social Democratic Party, amidst differences in views on the best ways to address current security challenges.