Boris Pistorius, the German Minister of Defense, has warned that Russia has significantly expanded its weapon production and poses a threat to Moldova, Georgia, and the Baltic states.
Europe needs to hurry to ensure it can defend itself better, as new military threats could emerge by the end of the decade, while its security ally, the United States, shifts its focus to the Indo-Pacific region, said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in an interview with Reuters, as cited by News.ro.
Russia has substantially increased its weapon production to support its invasion of Ukraine, simultaneously threatening the Baltic states, Georgia, and Moldova, Boris Pistorius stated in an interview with Welt am Sonntag. Meanwhile, the United States is likely to reduce its military commitment in Europe as it turns more toward the Indo-Pacific region, he added.
“We, Europeans, need to commit more to ensure security on our own continent,” said Pistorius, mentioning that it will take time for the region to boost its own arms production.
“We need 5-8 years to close the gap in terms of armed forces, industry, and society,” he estimated.
Europe is aware that it might also need to compensate for American aid to Ukraine if Washington fails to agree on new funding, he added.