Germany should adopt more ‘flexible’ arms exports policy, defense minister says

BERLIN 

Germany should adopt a more “flexible” policy on arms exports, the country’s defense minister said on Thursday.

“We need more open-minded policy and we need a change of strategy,” Boris Pistorius told a panel discussion at the Berlin Security Conference.

He stressed that the changes in international security environment makes it necessary for Germany to reconsider its strictly restrictive approach.

“We deliver weapons or making defense industry cooperation only with countries that share exactly the same values we used to have for decades,” Pistorius said.

He underlined that Berlin should change this approach and develop defense industry cooperation with strategically important countries, even if they do not have the same democratic standards.

“I think we have to cooperate also with countries that do not share all of our values, but most of them,” he said.

Pistorius underlined that in today’s multipolar world, Germany has to enhance its defense cooperation with strategically important regional powers.

“We have to be more flexible, we have to be more aware that we need strategic partners all over the world, especially with countries that are supporting and standing with the rules-based international order,” he said.

• arms exports
• Boris Pistorius
• Germany