Rutte praises Germany's NATO role as Cabinet approves defence bills

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Germany's contributions to the Western alliance during a visit to Berlin on Wednesday, as the German Cabinet approved draft legislation aimed at strengthening the military reserve and accelerate defence infrastructure projects.

"Germany leads and Germany delivers," Rutte said, adding that the country is making significant contributions to NATO's collective security.

The NATO head highlighted the German-Dutch corps that took command of NATO's land forces stationed in Estonia and Latvia this week, the deployment of a German armoured brigade in Lithuania, airspace surveillance on NATO's eastern flank, the German navy's protection of critical infrastructure and Berlin's support for Ukraine. He also praised Germany's increase in defence spending.

Rutte called on the defence industry to ramp up arms production, highlighting the need for new production lines and robust supply chains.

Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, attended the German Cabinet's regular weekly session at the Defence Ministry in Berlin, and held a joint press conference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. 

Merz emphasized that his government was moving swiftly on security policy. "This is what is needed in a global situation in which we, as Europeans, must and want to take responsibility quickly and decisively for our freedom, our security and also our prosperity," he said.

The chancellor assured Rutte: "Germany can count on NATO, but NATO can also count on Germany."

Merz emphasized that strong armed forces and a resilient society were essential.

At its meeting, the Cabinet approved draft legislation to strengthen the military reserve and an infrastructure bill for the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. 

According to the legislation, the reserve is to be increased to at least 200,000 men and women by 2033 - on top of an active force of 260,000 soldiers by then.

It also provides for the abolition of the so-called "double voluntary" system, under which both employers and reservists had to agree to a call-up. A graduated system for compulsory military service is envisaged, depending on the length of service to date, with the maximum duration per year to be capped at between three and 12 weeks.

The legislation also includes a provision for indefinite reserve service in the event of a heightened security situation, "even outside of a state of tension or defence," according to the Defence Ministry. This could be necessary if a hybrid threat or another crisis situation requires the deployment of the reserves.

Pistorius said that old regulations governing the reserves were scattered across many different laws and had not been geared towards national and alliance defence.

The Cabinet also green-lighted the Infrastructure Acceleration Act, which is intended to consolidate existing regulations. 

"We are creating the conditions and amending a total of 10 laws to speed up infrastructure within the Bundeswehr and for the Bundeswehr," Pistorius said.

He said more money was being invested in infrastructure every year, including in the construction of accommodation, ammunition depots and logistics facilities for new weapon systems.

"Faster processes are needed, and we are making them happen," he added.