Speaking on Wednesday at a press conference with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo in Berlin, Angela Merkel described the two main pillars of NATO as readiness to defend or deterrence on the one hand and dialogue on the other. Both are important, she said. "That is why Germany has always worked for a dialogue with Russia."

Manoeuvres are part of the duties of a military alliance

Both pillars are integral parts of the current NATO policy, and "the German government supports both of these pillars," stated Angela Merkel clearly. At the same time, she added "There is a need to strengthen the eastern part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization." This is why Germany will also assume responsibility for one of the four new NATO battalions in the Baltic. Manoeuvres, she said, are part of this engagement. "We must, of course, regularly test our capabilities. That is quite simply part of what a military alliance does."

German government supports increased defence spending

At the press conference Angela Merkel was also asked about future German defence spending. The Chancellor reminded her audience that the German government supported the NATO resolution that stipulates that in the long term NATO member states are to earmark 2 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) for defence. Germany has not yet reached this target, with a current spending level of 1.2 per cent GDP. "But we have increased our defence budget. That is positive. We decided this together within the government."

Germany faces new threats "particularly in the environs of the European Union as well as asymmetric threats including terrorist threats." That is why I understand that the common spending targets of NATO member states "cannot simply stand on paper in the medium and long term, but that we must do something to achieve these targets". This is the "common position of the German government" declared the Chancellor.