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NATO and Germany's Commitment: Conversation with German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
Jul 1, 2021
Jul 1, 2021
Germany, Italy Complete Troop Exit From Afghanistan
Jul. 1 - Germany and Italy have removed their last remaining soldiers from Afghanistan, ending almost two decades of deployment to the war-torn country alongside U.S. and other coalition troops.
The United States and NATO plan to fully withdraw their militaries from the South Asian nation by September 11 in line with orders by U.S. President Joe Biden. The drawdown process formally started on May 1.
Germany announced its military withdrawal without much fanfare shortly after the last 250 German soldiers were airlifted Tuesday night out of their base in northern Afghanistan.
“After nearly 20 years of deployment, the last soldiers of our Bundeswehr have left Afghanistan this evening," German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said in a statement she tweeted.
“They are on their way home. A historic chapter comes to an end, an intensive deployment that challenged and shaped the Bundeswehr, in which the Bundeswehr proved itself in combat," she wrote.
The minister thanked the 150,000 German men and women who had been part of the mission in Afghanistan since 2001, saying they could be proud of their achievements.
Germany has lost 59 troops, 39 of them in battles or insurgent attacks, during the course of their service, according to the German army. “You will not be forgotten,” said the German defense minister while paying tribute to those killed and wounded in service in Afghanistan.
Germany still had about 1,100 soldiers in the country when Biden announced his withdrawal plans in mid-April. They were part of a non-combatant NATO-led military mission tasked to train, advise and assist Afghan soldiers battling the Taliban insurgency.
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Security Council said while NATO countries are winding down their military missions, that does not mean bilateral state-to-state ties are also ending... more
Jul. 1 - Germany and Italy have removed their last remaining soldiers from Afghanistan, ending almost two decades of deployment to the war-torn country alongside U.S. and other coalition troops.
The United States and NATO plan to fully withdraw their militaries from the South Asian nation by September 11 in line with orders by U.S. President Joe Biden. The drawdown process formally started on May 1.
Germany announced its military withdrawal without much fanfare shortly after the last 250 German soldiers were airlifted Tuesday night out of their base in northern Afghanistan.
“After nearly 20 years of deployment, the last soldiers of our Bundeswehr have left Afghanistan this evening," German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said in a statement she tweeted.
“They are on their way home. A historic chapter comes to an end, an intensive deployment that challenged and shaped the Bundeswehr, in which the Bundeswehr proved itself in combat," she wrote.
The minister thanked the 150,000 German men and women who had been part of the mission in Afghanistan since 2001, saying they could be proud of their achievements.
Germany has lost 59 troops, 39 of them in battles or insurgent attacks, during the course of their service, according to the German army. “You will not be forgotten,” said the German defense minister while paying tribute to those killed and wounded in service in Afghanistan.
Germany still had about 1,100 soldiers in the country when Biden announced his withdrawal plans in mid-April. They were part of a non-combatant NATO-led military mission tasked to train, advise and assist Afghan soldiers battling the Taliban insurgency.
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Security Council said while NATO countries are winding down their military missions, that does not mean bilateral state-to-state ties are also ending... more
British Puma helicopters return from Afghanistan in Russian freighter
July 7 - The RAF Puma detachment serving in Afghanistan in support of the NATO Resolute Support Mission since March 2015 has now returned to RAF Benson, as part of the withdrawal of NATO forces from the country. The three Puma helicopters and around 50 personnel from 33 Squadron and 230 Squadron based at Benson Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) that have been serving in Kabul have now returned to the UK. The aircraft were flown from Kabul to RAF Brize Norton on an Antonov AN-225. more
July 7 - The RAF Puma detachment serving in Afghanistan in support of the NATO Resolute Support Mission since March 2015 has now returned to RAF Benson, as part of the withdrawal of NATO forces from the country. The three Puma helicopters and around 50 personnel from 33 Squadron and 230 Squadron based at Benson Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) that have been serving in Kabul have now returned to the UK. The aircraft were flown from Kabul to RAF Brize Norton on an Antonov AN-225. more
Austin hosts German defense minist
er, as Washington resets relationship with Germany
Date published on Jul. 1, 2021
THE NORD STREAM 2 SORE POINT: The biggest bump in the road to better relations with Germany is its deal with Russia to buy energy through the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which the U.S. says is a tool for Russian President Vladimir Putin to undermine European energy security and threaten the security of Ukraine and other countries in the region.
Blinken argues the pipeline was a fait accompli by the time Biden took office, and the decision to waive U.S. sanctions against German entities, but not Russian, is a bid to convince Berlin to adopt strict rules that would prevent Moscow from using the pipeline a geopolitical weapon.
“We're determined to see if we can make something positive out of a difficult situation that we inherited and to do what we can to make sure that the end result is that Europe's energy security is not undermined,” Blinken said at a news conference with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas.
“Washington has expectations of Germany and that expectations are that we make sure that President Putin cannot misuse the pipeline to exert pressure on Ukraine,” said Maas. “We are quite aware of this, and we want to make our contribution in that regard.”
“There are a series of very practical things that we're looking at, that we're talking about, and my expectation is that we'll agree on important measures that, again, can mitigate any damage that could be done,” Blinken said in the Der Spiegel interview in which he also warned the waiver granted by Washington could be rescinded..
The goal is to reach an agreement by the time Merkel visits Biden in Washington next month... more about US/Germany
Related Articles:
BIDEN CANCELLATION OF NORD STREAM 2 SANCTIONS CALLED ‘TERRIBLE’ FOR UKRAINE AND BOOST TO PUTIN
Date published on Jul. 1, 2021
THE NORD STREAM 2 SORE POINT: The biggest bump in the road to better relations with Germany is its deal with Russia to buy energy through the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which the U.S. says is a tool for Russian President Vladimir Putin to undermine European energy security and threaten the security of Ukraine and other countries in the region.
Blinken argues the pipeline was a fait accompli by the time Biden took office, and the decision to waive U.S. sanctions against German entities, but not Russian, is a bid to convince Berlin to adopt strict rules that would prevent Moscow from using the pipeline a geopolitical weapon.
“We're determined to see if we can make something positive out of a difficult situation that we inherited and to do what we can to make sure that the end result is that Europe's energy security is not undermined,” Blinken said at a news conference with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas.
“Washington has expectations of Germany and that expectations are that we make sure that President Putin cannot misuse the pipeline to exert pressure on Ukraine,” said Maas. “We are quite aware of this, and we want to make our contribution in that regard.”
“There are a series of very practical things that we're looking at, that we're talking about, and my expectation is that we'll agree on important measures that, again, can mitigate any damage that could be done,” Blinken said in the Der Spiegel interview in which he also warned the waiver granted by Washington could be rescinded..
The goal is to reach an agreement by the time Merkel visits Biden in Washington next month... more about US/Germany
Related Articles:
BIDEN CANCELLATION OF NORD STREAM 2 SANCTIONS CALLED ‘TERRIBLE’ FOR UKRAINE AND BOOST TO PUTIN
Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III with German Federal Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
JUNE 30, 2021
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III; Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Federal Minister of Defense to the Republic of Germany
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer, it's a pleasure to host you here at the Pentagon.
I'd like to start by saying that our thoughts and prayers are with the German soldiers who were injured in a bomb attack in Mali just a few days ago. This is yet another example of the dangers of -- our -- our brave servicemen and -women take each and every day. We hope for their speedy recovery, and we also send our warm wishes to their families at this difficult time.
Now, Madam Minister, I'd like to thank you for being here. You were the very first of my European counterparts whom I met on my first trip to Europe as secretary of defense, and I'm happy to welcome you here to Washington. I'm also looking forward to escorting you down to Norfolk later today to visit one of our aircraft carriers and see some of our fleet -- really looking forward to that.
You and I were able to meet with our French and British counterparts in Brussels a few weeks ago for the first Euro Quad Ministerial since 2014, and as the challenges of the pandemic begin to ease, it's a real pleasure to be able to meet in person twice in one month, which is extraordinary. I'm looking forward to a highly-productive discussion today about a range of issues, and the strong defense relationship between our countries. As I said in Berlin, Germany is one of our staunchest allies, and strengthening our bilateral relationship is a top priority for the Biden administration.
For decades, American and German service members have stood shoulder-to-shoulder against common threats to -- and to advance our shared interests and values, and we saw this over almost 20 years in Afghanistan, where Germany was a framework nation. As we wind down NATO's mission there, we reflect on our shared sacrifice, including both German and American soldiers who have paid the ultimate price... more
JUNE 30, 2021
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III; Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Federal Minister of Defense to the Republic of Germany
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer, it's a pleasure to host you here at the Pentagon.
I'd like to start by saying that our thoughts and prayers are with the German soldiers who were injured in a bomb attack in Mali just a few days ago. This is yet another example of the dangers of -- our -- our brave servicemen and -women take each and every day. We hope for their speedy recovery, and we also send our warm wishes to their families at this difficult time.
Now, Madam Minister, I'd like to thank you for being here. You were the very first of my European counterparts whom I met on my first trip to Europe as secretary of defense, and I'm happy to welcome you here to Washington. I'm also looking forward to escorting you down to Norfolk later today to visit one of our aircraft carriers and see some of our fleet -- really looking forward to that.
You and I were able to meet with our French and British counterparts in Brussels a few weeks ago for the first Euro Quad Ministerial since 2014, and as the challenges of the pandemic begin to ease, it's a real pleasure to be able to meet in person twice in one month, which is extraordinary. I'm looking forward to a highly-productive discussion today about a range of issues, and the strong defense relationship between our countries. As I said in Berlin, Germany is one of our staunchest allies, and strengthening our bilateral relationship is a top priority for the Biden administration.
For decades, American and German service members have stood shoulder-to-shoulder against common threats to -- and to advance our shared interests and values, and we saw this over almost 20 years in Afghanistan, where Germany was a framework nation. As we wind down NATO's mission there, we reflect on our shared sacrifice, including both German and American soldiers who have paid the ultimate price... more
黑海一波未平一波又起！俄荷舰机再对峙 北约俄罗斯同时演习 20210630 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Jul 1, 2021
Jul 1, 2021
