US Defense Secretary Advocates European Countries Focus on European Security, German Military Director: We Must Do Both

The highest-ranking military official in Germany said that even though the US urged European countries to pay more attention to the threat from Russia on the European continent, Germany will continue to play a role in Asia-Pacific security. During an interview with Bloomberg Television on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, German Federal Defense Forces Director Broeher stated, "We must do both."

In recent years, Germany, along with other European nations, has been strengthening defense relations in Asia and sending warships to visit the Indo-Pacific region. For instance, Germany's "Bavaria" frigate visited Japan and other places in 2021.

US Defense Secretary Higgenbotham suggested during the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday that European allies should focus on security on the European continent so that Washington could concentrate on addressing challenges in the Indo-Pacific while increasing engagement with Asian allies.

Higgenbotham said, "We would prefer the majority of European defense investments to be concentrated on the European continent, allowing us to cooperate there – which we will continue to do – so that we can leverage our comparative advantages as Indo-Pacific countries to support our partners here (in the Indo-Pacific)."

Higgenbotham also urged Asian countries to follow Europe's lead by increasing defense spending. He pointed out that NATO European allies, including Germany, are committed to allocating 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) for defense purposes.

In the interview, Broeher said that it was actually the threat from Russia that prompted countries like Germany to increase their military budgets. For him, the focus is not only on achieving expenditure targets but also on building appropriate military capabilities.

Broeher introduced, "Of course, we must accelerate construction in areas such as air defense, main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and ammunition delivery." Broeher mentioned, "You must see the spillover effects from Europe to Asia and vice versa."

Regarding the Ukraine issue, Broeher mentioned that Germany recently launched a 4 billion euro aid plan to help Ukraine better defend itself and pointed out, "This is mainly to strengthen Ukraine's defense industry so that it can become self-sufficient in the future."

Saturday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kallas rejected Higgenbotham's suggestion during his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue that European countries should focus their defense efforts on Europe and leave more of the Indo-Pacific region to be addressed by the US and its Asian allies. Kallas mentioned the example of North Korean troops aiding Russia in the conflict against Ukraine, emphasizing that security in Europe and Asia is closely linked.

Sunday, Lithuanian Defense Minister Sakalienne spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue, stating that if Ukraine falls, it will have a chain reaction in Asia.

Sakalienne told the audience, "If Russia wins in Ukraine, this is not just a problem for Europe; it is not just a regional issue. This will send a very clear signal to small countries in the Indo-Pacific: anyone can ignore their borders, and any fabricated excuse can be used as a reason for invasion."

Source: rfi

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833755114923144/

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