Germany needs to step up its role in defence as U.S. may do less in Europe, minister says

Germany needs to step up its role in defence if the U.S. is to focus less on Europe, defence minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday, adding it will take a modification of the country's debt brake to raise the necessary money.

He said it did not make sense to present to Russia's President Vladimir Putin a Germany that was debt-free but therefore less capable of defending itself.

Pistorius said the minority government in Berlin would do its utmost to get pending defence projects approved by parliament before an election planned in February, and that he had discussed this topic with the finance minister.