Defence Minister Boris Pistorius believes the reconstruction of the Bundeswehr is progressing well, as more than 40,000 questionnaires have been sent out to prospective soldiers in the first four weeks of the year, and many responses have already been received.
The goal is to recruit 20,000 new soldiers by the end of the year, which Pistorius considers realistic since more than 25,000 joined last year – a twelve-year record. The minister also emphasised the importance of infrastructure development, as more than 40,000 new accommodation places will be needed in the coming years, possibly by reopening old barracks.
In his view, the current geopolitical situation is extremely tense and unpredictable, making Germany’s security policy environment more complex than ever before.
