Europe should focus on strengthening its own defense capabilities, not on watching White House – Pistorius

According to Ukrinform, Pistorius stated this in an interview with RND (RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland).

"It would be a mistake to stare at the White House like a rabbit at a snake. Then we would lose focus on what we ourselves must do: become more sovereign and independent. This comes from our own strength and self-confidence," he emphasized.

Commenting on the agreement between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump regarding Greenland, Pistorius noted that President Trump's unpredictability is increasing.

"The unpredictability is becoming greater and greater. Just a month ago, hardly anyone could have imagined that a US president would consider the use of military force with regard to Greenland," he said.

He recalled that no new agreements on US bases in Greenland are needed, as the 1951 agreement between the United States and Denmark remains in force.

"After that, for years the Americans had around 10,000 troops there and many different military facilities; now about 200 remain. They can increase their military presence again at any time," Pistorius explained.

He stressed that NATO is responsible for security in the Arctic, and that in recent years Germany, together with its partners, has significantly strengthened its presence in the region due to the threat from Russia.

"It is precisely in recent years that we have significantly increased our presence in the Arctic due to the growing threat from Russia. A year and a half ago, together with my colleagues from Denmark, Norway, and Canada, I concluded a maritime security partnership in the North Atlantic. We are increasingly involving Iceland. In this way, we are making it clear that we will not allow a geostrategic gap to emerge in the Arctic," Pistorius stated.

Pistorius emphasized that Trump plays on insecurity and fear, but Europe will not allow itself to be intimidated.

"Trump plays on insecurity and fear to achieve his goals. But those who are afraid make the wrong decisions. That is why we are not allowing ourselves to be intimidated. We Europeans are, step by step, taking our conventional defense into our own hands. For decades, this task was largely carried out for us by the United States. The US nuclear protective umbrella is also not being questioned in the new defense strategy," he said.

He stressed that Americans need Europe just as much as Europeans need Americans.

"Americans need Europe just as much as Europeans need Americans. Imagine that Europe became a sphere of influence of Russia if Putin succeeded in driving the Americans out or forcing them to retreat from here. Then the United States would find itself between Russia and China. That is certainly not in the interests of the Americans," Pistorius emphasized.

Regarding trust within NATO, the minister offered an unusual comparison with a crisis in a marriage after 20 years together.

"Allow me a somewhat unusual comparison. If people have been married for 20 years, they sometimes go through a crisis. A crisis of trust, alienation, or a change in life priorities. Then, put simply, there are two deeply human, instinctive impulses: flight or fight. One can divorce, or, if there is still a common foundation for the relationship, resolve problems constructively. To be clear: I still do not doubt the common foundation of NATO. And there are no signs that the United States wants to leave NATO. The only one who benefits from this debate is Putin," he said.

He also stressed the critical role of the US air base in Ramstein, the most important US Air Force base outside America, a hub for transporting cargo and troops, as well as the medical hospital in Landstuhl.

"It is important to me to clearly show that the United States is also interested in our close partnership," he concluded.

As Ukrinform previously reported, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius earlier stated that he sees no signs of Russia's serious readiness for peace, and that attacks on Ukraine constitute terror against the civilian population.