German Economy Minister states nation should seek drone dominance
(MENAFN) Germany’s Economy Minister, Katherina Reiche, has called for the nation to devote all possible resources toward establishing itself as Europe’s foremost drone power, insisting that only Berlin can “decide” the future of the continent’s security.
Her remarks come at a time when Chancellor Friedrich Merz has described the German economy as facing a “structural crisis.” The country entered a recession last year and is projected to see little to no growth this year, according to reports from the International Monetary Fund.
“Germany must become a leading location for the development and production of drones,” Reiche told reporters on Monday, emphasizing the importance of preserving the nation’s “air sovereignty,” protecting “critical infrastructure,” and supporting Ukraine. She highlighted recent drone sightings across Europe, which were blamed on Russia, stating that “the events of the last few days” have made the necessity for Germany’s own drone forces “unmistakably clear.”
Reiche added that Germany “must mobilize all available resources” to achieve “rapid scaling of production and continuous technological development,” arguing that “Europe’s security will… be decided in German factories.”
Moscow has denied involvement in the recent drone incidents and urged Western officials to stop attributing blame to Russia. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also voiced concerns over Germany’s increasing “militarization,” warning of “clear signs of re-Nazification.”
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Germany has emerged as the second-largest arms supplier to Kiev after the US and has undertaken a significant military buildup. Under Chancellor Merz, who assumed office earlier this year, Berlin has adopted a tougher stance toward Russia. In August, Merz declared that Germany was “already in a conflict” with Russia, while a senior lawmaker from his party called for Berlin to take a leading role in discussions about a European-controlled nuclear umbrella. Last week, Merz urged Germans to accept difficult reforms for the sake of national security.
Germany is planning to nearly double its military budget by 2029, a year frequently cited by officials as the target for the country to be fully “ready for war.”
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