German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: "We will defend every square meter of NATO territory" - DW News

[TexasTowelie]

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday told the German parliament, the Bundestag, that members of the NATO alliance could rely on Berlin.

With Russia's invasion of Ukraine top of the agendas for three major summits — of the EU, G7 and NATO — Scholz's speech focused on Berlin's support for NATO and Kyiv.

In his speech, the chancellor stressed that Germany not only took responsibility for its own security, but also for that of its allies. He said this was underlined by a €100 billion ($107 billion) upgrade of the Bundeswehr agreed by both houses of parliament.

"Security is the most fundamental promise that a state owes its citizens," Scholz said, citing a turning point in history.

"The German armed forces will be equipped so it can protect our country and our allies against any attack," Scholz told the parliament. "That is the standard for the new Bundeswehr."

The chancellor also said Ukraine was getting the weapons it most urgently needed at the current phase of the war. He said the German government had decided to list all of the weapons it had already sent to Ukraine, as other NATO allies have done.