STORY: What about the Bundeswehr? If you look at the report by the German Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, there is still a lot of confusion there. Since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Bundeswehr has had even less than before, Högl said on Tuesday in Berlin: “The Bundeswehr has had too little of everything and it still has since February 24, 2022 less. That affects the training, it affects the exercises and it also affects the equipment in action.” The 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr is correct and important, said Högl. However: “Unfortunately, I have to say that in 2022 not a euro or a cent was spent from this special fund. And that’s why I also combine this with the demand that this important money for the Bundeswehr arrives quickly in the troops and that this year some things are also noticeably procured from the special fund, from which the servicewomen and men then benefit.” In addition to the special fund, an increase in the current budget for the Bundeswehr is also necessary, said Högl. Therefore, she supports Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ demand to increase the defense budget by ten billion euros. She keeps her fingers crossed that he will prevail. The soldiers are unanimously behind the line of supporting Ukraine militarily. However, the material provided must be procured again as soon as possible. This also applies to ammunition. Investments in the infrastructure of the Bundeswehr are also urgently needed. Here, however, the lack of money is not necessarily the main obstacle. Rather, the processes would have to be accelerated, said Högl.