Christine Lambrecht ,Minister of Defence, Germany, gives opening remarks at meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence – Brussels, Belgium Oct. 13, 2022 (Credit: NATO.int)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
Germany’s Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has resigned amid dwindling confidence in her abilities and response to the Ukraine war. Her resignation preceded a series of embarrassing public incidents most noticeable a controversial New Year’s eve message. The video address released on her own Instagram account posted on social media ignited controversy with calls for her to quit as defense minister. Lambrecht on Monday tendered her resignation via a written statement to Chancellor Olaf Scholz in which she cited constant media focus on her. There was also ongoing pressure on Germany to allow the supply of tanks to Ukraine in the war with Russia. Lambrecht was also criticized for failing to establish her authority over the Bundeswehr.
“The months-long media focus on my person hardly allows for objective reporting and discussion about the servicemen and women, the Bundeswehr, and security policy decisions in the interest of the citizens of Germany,” Lambrecht wrote in a statement to Chancellor Scholz.
The German Chancellor will now face mounting calls to agree to deliver Leopard 2 battle tanks.
Christine Lambrecht, Federal Minister of Defence, visits the Logistics Battalion 172 in Beelitz in Brandenburg during her first visit to the troops in her term of office (Credit: bmvg.de)
Lambrecht, 57-years-old, has been defence minister since Scholz became chancellor in December 2021. The Minister of Defence is the highest-ranking superior of all German soldiers as well as the commander in chief of the armed forces in peacetime.
United States – German Relations Boosted By War in Ukraine
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with Christine Lambrecht, German Federal Minister of Defence, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium Oct. 13, 2022.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has unified the Western alliance, with relations between the United States and Germany at the forefront.
“US-German relations are experiencing a renaissance. After a stressful two decades, which saw tensions between Germany and the United States rise due to the Iraq War, spying revelations, and former President Donald Trump’s frequent taunts, that is no small feat.” -DW.com
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin praised Germany for boosting defense spending 2 percent in 2022 amid the Ruissia-Ukraine conflict.
Germany Failing to Lead on The War in Ukraine
However, many Western allies behind the scenes are calling on Germany to assume a leadership position in Europe’s response to the war in Ukraine given Berlin’s economic and military might. Germany has often been criticized for being too cautious in supplying arms. Berlin is hedging on stepping up to the plate for fear of provoking Moscow. That explains Germany’s hesitancy to supply the Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine, as Berlin would be the first and only Western country to deliver western-made tanks to help Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. And during the first few weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, Germany was widely criticized for ignoring Kyiv’s plea for military aid even as Putin amassed nearly 200,000 troops at the border.
