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Annalena Baerbock giving her speech to the students
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Britta Pedersen / dpa
"We now live in a world in which we have to prepare for all eventualities": In view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a transatlantic relationship "on an equal footing" in a speech to students in New York.
Germany is ready to "prepare the way" for such a new partnership.
The Europeans must strengthen their strategic capabilities "in order to be able to meet the United States on an equal footing - in a leadership partnership," said Baerbock.
The United States and allies must now build a "partnership in leadership" to defend their security, democratic society and rules-based world order.
To do this, Germany and the Europeans would have to say goodbye to certainties they have come to love and realign their security policies.
With “partnership in leadership”, the Secretary of State picked up a term used by former US President George Bush.
He had offered the reunified Germany such a partnership.
"It didn't come about at the time, the idea seemed too far-fetched," said Baerbock in New York.
"But in today's world that has changed fundamentally: the moment has come when we have to engage in a leadership partnership," said the minister - a partnership not between Germany and the USA, but between Europe and the USA .
"Now that our security and our freedom are threatened at levels they have not been in for decades, we must close the transatlantic ranks," she warned.
»We must build a stronger, irreversible transatlantic partnership for the 21st century.«
For Germany and the Europeans, this requires a strengthening of their military capabilities, said Baerbock.
Germany has therefore already initiated an about-face - for example with a reorientation of its security policy and the increase in military spending.
In addition, Germany has given up its "long-held belief in the concept of 'change through trade' - the idea that trade and economic relations could move autocratic regimes towards democracy," said Baerbock.
"Russia's brutal war has made it clear," said Baerbock, "freedom, democracy and human rights are being attacked.
We must oppose this with strength.«
as /AFP