Statement by Foreign Minister Wadephul prior to his departure for Helsingborg and Prague

With the historic decisions from the Hague Summit last year, the NATO allies vigorously renewed their commitment to the transatlantic alliance and prepared the ground for a NATO 3.0. We will now be building on this foundation when we gather in Sweden, the newest NATO member, to prepare for the NATO Summit in Ankara. We want a stronger NATO with a greater role for Europe, we want to secure peace through more robust deterrence, and to this end we want to pool the capacities of our defence industries through more intensive arms cooperation.

Germany is taking responsibility for playing a leading role in this process. We were the first country to clearly commit to the five-percent goal, and we want to achieve this goal and thereby strengthen our defence capabilities as rapidly as possible. In this context, it is clear that as European capabilities increase, the tasks within the Alliance must be redistributed. Our goal is a new distribution of burdens that reflects Germany's and Europe's economic and military potential.

At the same time, within NATO's European pillar, we need to set the priorities that are in the best interests of our security in Europe. For more than four years, Ukraine has been the greatest contributor to European security outside NATO through its heroic battle to defend itself against Russia's war of aggression. In Sweden, I intend to make concrete proposals on how we can continue to firmly support Ukraine in defending freedom in Europe and how, in turn, we can benefit from the impressive achievements of Ukraine's defence industry.

The situation in the Middle East is also on the agenda in Helsingborg. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz affects us all daily: at petrol stations, in the context of trade and in industry. With the countries in the region, we are focusing our efforts on ensuring free and safe passage without charge for all ships and thereby the security of supply chains for people throughout the world. Germany, alongside more than 30 other countries, is therefore willing to play an active role in international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Europe has stepped up its pace not just by one, but by several notches in the field of defence - and not a moment too soon. At the GLOBSEC Forum 2026 in Prague my goal is likewise to discuss with our friends and partners the greater responsibility Europe needs to assume in a new global security order.