As of: March 6, 2024, 12:55 p.m
By: Momir Takac
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Press
Split
Boris Pistorius is currently in Scandinavia - the Russian wiretapping operation is always with him.
In Norway he visits the border with Russia.
Oslo – Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is currently on his inaugural visit to Scandinavian countries.
The focus of the trip was actually supposed to be a visit to the “Nordic Response” exercise in Norway, in which around 20,000 soldiers from NATO countries are taking part until mid-March.
But actually the trip is dictated by Vladimir Putin.
Trip to the border with Russia, Russian wiretapping operation: Boris Pistorius in Scandinavia on a sensitive mission
Pistorius will hold "military-political discussions with his counterparts" in Sweden, Norway and Finland, visit Kirkenes, which lies on the border with Russia, and meet German Bundeswehr troops involved in the exercise, according to the Federal Ministry of Defense's website.
But before the minister left for Sweden, he commented on the Russian interception of the “Taurus” cruise missile.
Pistorius said on Tuesday that he wanted to make the trip despite the revelations so as not to play Putin's game.
At a press conference in Berlin, Pistorius denied that the eavesdropping attack could put a strain on the relationship with his partners.
Germany will not allow itself to be “scared away or driven apart” by the “hybrid attack” from Russia, Pistorius reiterated.
The wiretapping was due to an “individual application error” and preliminary disciplinary investigations were initiated against all people involved in the conversation.
If the investigation doesn't turn out anything "worse," the SPD politician said, he would not "sacrifice any of my best officers to Putin's games."
Pistorius sees no breach of trust in NATO partners as a result of the Russian “Taurus” eavesdropping attack
Despite the incident, trust in Germany remains unbroken, said Pistorius.
“Everyone knows about the danger of such wiretapping attacks,” emphasized the Defense Minister.
He had informed colleagues from the partner countries about the incident the day before.
He noticed “no signs whatsoever that we were distrusted in any way and I didn’t notice any irritation either.”
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius boards a Luftwaffe Airbus that takes him to the border with Russia.
© picture alliance/dpa |
Kay Nietfeld
The first stop on the trip on Tuesday was Sweden, which is about to join NATO following Hungary's approval.
In the country, Pistorius is particularly interested in the military service model.
Because of the war in Ukraine, Pistorius wants to reactivate compulsory military service in Germany.
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Pistorius finds out about the military service model in Sweden
He wants to orientate himself on the Swedish model.
With a compulsory military service, but not entire years are drafted, this is “particularly suitable,” said Pistorius in Stockholm.
His counterpart Pal Jonson said his country collects around 5 to 10 percent of a vintage.
This results in a good balance between professional soldiers and those doing military service and is then an entry point for many into the military.
Pistorius wanted to get information from a muster authority.
On Wednesday the defense minister traveled to Norway.
The country has a border with Russia in the extreme northeast and competes with its neighbor for resources in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea.
The bases of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, which are of great strategic importance, are also located on the Kola Peninsula, not far from the border.
In Kirkenes, Pistorius will inspect the border with Russia while visiting a Norwegian border guard camp and find out about the work of those doing military service.
Finland senses threat from Russia at the border
The Scandinavian tour ends with a visit to Finland.
The country is clearly feeling the threat from Russia.
Putin's war in Ukraine led Finland to abandon its military neutrality and join NATO.
Tensions between Finland and Russia have been rising since the recording last year.
The countries share a land border that is approximately 1,300 kilometers long.
In December 2023, Putin announced the deployment of military forces to the region east of the border, and shortly afterwards he canceled a 2012 border agreement with Finland.
Finland, in turn, accused Moscow of deliberately bringing more migrants to the border in order to destabilize the EU country.
(mt)