Verteidigungsminister Pistorius: Deutschland offen für Waffenlieferungen an Indien | DW Nachrichten

The new German Defense Minister has begun his first trip to Asia. He has received applause for his clear pro-Ukraine line, but how does he position himself here regarding the challenges of the region? Boris Pistorius, welcome to the DB. In the vicinity of Germany there is a war. wreaking havoc in Europe, why have they come a long way here? Because this region will shape the 21st century in terms of security policy, free transportation, the challenges of the international economy; all these things are taking shape here and that is why this region is important not only for Germany but for Europe as a whole, you are defense ministers, what can the German armed forces and the Bundeswehr do here in the Pacific and what can they achieve?

I think we will never play a really active role in the region, but we can demonstrate a presence like we had in 2021 and 20 22. In 2020 we adjusted our guidelines for the Indo-Pacific, which was very important to make our interests clear and show our focus on this very important region and our military presence with the Baviera frigate for two years. Makes our presence here next year our presence in the AFC participants in the monitoring of sanctions against North Korea in all of this it is about showing that we are interested, that we are committed to the region and that is why we are here and that is why They will be here They have announced that they will send a ship to this region again in 2024 and this time they will do it.

We will go through the Taiwan Strait later, not now, that is a decision we do not have to make at this time. At the same time, many countries in this region are very concerned about possible instability in the Indo-Pacific, including Indonesia, where we are now. Indonesia is increasing its defense spending. What does it have for Indonesia? What I don't have are weapons. but the assurance and the promise that we will address it, that we will talk about our export control regulations in Germany because I am convinced, and many of us are convinced, that if we think seriously about getting involved in the region, if we think seriously about the risk and not kapling and become a serious and reliable partner in the region, then we must at least be prepared to discuss how we can support our partners, our old and new partners in the region, including on defense issues, as long as They are really reliable partners and we have many of them, but Indonesia wants planes, I know and understand it very well.

I can tell you that the decisions on this have been fully prepared and I think in a very positive way. The decision has not yet been made, but I hope that in the near future we will follow it closely. You have already pointed out the need for Germany to reconsider its arms export policy to support partner countries and democracies here. the region in their legitimate interest in self-defense, what exactly they hope to achieve is part of the tipping point, we must rethink who we supply weapons to now that we have woken up to a different world than the one we fell asleep in before February. 21 last year, so we have to rethink our policy of recent decades and that is what we are doing in German society.

There would have been a real rethink in German politics if someone had said two years ago that we would hand over heavy weapons worth three. at five billion euros, I wouldn't have believed it. Today it is already clear how public opinion and politics in Germany have already changed; Of course, it is necessary to reduce the risks, as I have already mentioned, that means that we have to unite. all countries around the world that are willing and able to defend the rules or the rules-based order and work on it in the German government. I will try to advance this discussion but they are already going to Indonesia, they will visit India, what do they have?

India also wants weapons from Germany. In India I am accompanied by representatives of German arms companies and I want to send a signal that we are ready to support our partners, our reliable partners for Indonesia, such as India. the supply of submarines, so we will talk about it without losing sight of the difficulties of the global supply of weapons. We have to find a balance between the supply of weapons to reliable partners, on the one hand, and the control and limitation of the supply of weapons to the entire world, on the other. On the other hand, there are not so many weapons in the world.

Of course, German weapons are in Ukraine. For example, they have supplied tanks to the country. Now there are fears that Ukraine will use them to penetrate Russian territory. If I understand you correctly, you are arguing that Ukraine has the right to do so for self-defense reasons, but who guarantees you that the German-made Leopard tank will not reach Belgorod and what would it mean if it were stopped? Kill? I fully trust our Ukrainian partners and always emphasize that Ukraine's international law allows this. However, Germany and the United States, for example, have always emphasized that we do not want our weapons to be used to cross the Russian border, that is the border. difference between the positions and I am absolutely sure that I have no evidence to the contrary that Ukraine is also a reliable partner in this sense, I ask again if it is okay to send drones to Russian territory, but not airplanes, let's not be too demanding It's not neither the time nor the place here in Indonesia to comment on what is possible and what is not right, but I still have to return to the German contribution in Ukraine, even if we are here in Asia, the issue is present.

Will Ukraine receive the Taurus cruise missile? I don't really think about it, nor about the fighter jet coalition. Germany is more of an observer or has an active role, as President Selinski would like, in rethinking what is possible and what we are willing to do and I think we will reach a decision in the next two weeks; Of course, the Russian war is playing a role, against Ukraine it also plays an important role here and you often hear this question: what has Germany done to stop the war and how difficult is it for them to convince their counterparts for a ceasefire?

Isn't it a solution? What do you tell them that an immediate ceasefire would mean Russia would get its way and even succeed? There are two countries that can end this war, the first is Russia, it would simply have to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and the war would be over, but ending the war by stopping supplying weapons to Ukraine would mean the end of Ukraine the next day, so that's how it is. It is not a solution because Ukraine is a sovereign country and Ukraine has to decide when it is time to negotiate or anything else that is not our decision.

Do you think it's here? Not everyone understands or accepts that, but most always ask them what. What would you do in the same situation, what would you expect from your partners, what would you expect from your allies if you said that you have to capitulate, that you have to surrender, or what would that solution be? So our partners understand that the partners have another question. You all ask here: How does Germany feel about China? China and the United States are in a situation from which there seems to be no way out and they tell you to keep in touch, but look where I think we experienced something like shadow boxing.

The Shangrilar conference I think both sides are very interested and should be very interested in coming back to the table to negotiate and stay in touch because otherwise there will be room for misunderstandings and the risk of escalation will only increase. I know this and that's why I'm pretty sure they'll get back to the negotiating table. Finally, one more question about your upcoming trip to India. India is highly dependent on Russia when it comes to weapons. Do you want to change that? Do you want to change that? Increasing arms sales, it is not Germany's task to change this alone, this is a problem that we have to solve together with our partners, but of course in the long term.

In the long term we cannot have any interest in India being so dependent on Russia for the supply of weapons and other materials, we have to think about what we can do Minister of Defence, thank you very much, thank you very much.