The Geopolitics and Security Studies Center hosted the first event in the \u201cVilnius-Berlin Pulse\u201d series, dedicated to Germany\u2019s foreign, security and defence policy. The discussion featured Tobias Bunde, Director of Research and Policy at the Munich Security Conference. The event was moderated by Vytautas Le\u0161kevi\u010dius, Senior Policy Analyst at GSSC.<\/p>\n
The discussion addressed how Germany\u2019s strategic thinking and its role in the European security architecture are changing. Tobias Bunde emphasised that Germany is experiencing an identity crisis in its foreign and security policy: many earlier assumptions about Russia as a partner, the impossibility of war in Europe, the exclusively positive impact of economic interdependence, and the long-term role of the United States in Europe have changed and continue to change.<\/p>\n
One of the key points of the discussion was the deployment of the German brigade in Lithuania. This decision was discussed as a concrete expression of Germany\u2019s \u201cZeitenwende\u201d and an important step in strengthening the defence of NATO\u2019s eastern flank, as well as Germany\u2019s defensive role in Europe.<\/p>\n
The discussion also covered the transformation of the Bundeswehr, Germany\u2019s ambition to assume greater responsibility for Europe\u2019s conventional defence, transatlantic relations and challenges within NATO. It was noted that a gap still remains between allies\u2019 expectations of Germany and German society\u2019s own understanding of its role, and that reducing this gap requires the involvement of partners, including Lithuania.<\/p>\n
The first \u201cVilnius-Berlin Pulse\u201d discussion showed that Germany\u2019s current decisions will have long-term significance for the security of NATO\u2019s eastern flank, Europe\u2019s defence capabilities and the transatlantic security architecture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":15204,"template":"","coauthors":[14],"class_list":["post-15200","ivykis","type-ivykis","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n