Defense chief rejects claims Germany puts its own arms industry ahead of Europe
Boris Pistorius says protecting national weapons manufacturers is a problem common to all EU countries.
Berlin — German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius dismissed allegations on Wednesday that his country is prioritizing its own arms industry over European defense cooperation, countering the claims made by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament’s defense committee. Addressing the Berlin Security Conference, Pistorius responded to the criticism by asserting that other nations exhibit the same behavior.
He emphasized that while there is a collective desire for greater defense cooperation and joint armament projects, each country insists on safeguarding its domestic industry. Pistorius pointed out that governments worldwide assert, "unanimously and every day," their commitment to bolstering defense collaboration, yet, simultaneously, they justify prioritizing their local manufacturers by declaring, "my industry must not fall behind."
This disagreement underscores a significant obstacle to Europe’s defense aspirations. Although EU countries aim to fortify their armed forces and procure more weapons collectively, governments are equally motivated to shield their domestic jobs and factories. Statistics illustrate the ongoing challenges in achieving this unity. In 2025, EU nations allocated €115 billion on military equipment, yet only 24% of that expenditure was directed toward joint purchases, according to the European Defence Agency.
Brussels seeks to elevate this joint spending to a minimum of 40% by 2030. Furthermore, the EU has established the €150 billion SAFE loans-for-weapons program to incentivize countries to acquire weapons cooperatively rather than independently. However, national interests persistently hinder progress, as governments frequently hesitate to allocate substantial weapons contracts to foreign companies.
Pistorius defended this stance, countering Strack-Zimmermann’s criticism by stating, "I would therefore reject the criticism in your question." He further argued that if any criticism is warranted, it should be leveled at all Europeans possessing defense industries, rather than singling out Germany.
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