The Nato, that's all of us
National defence is not just a question of troop strength or ammunition.
It is a matter of head and society as a whole
01.04.2024
Deterrence and defense: For two years now, these terms have determined my everyday life as commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin. In the year 2024, however, we urgently need to think further about it: not only as a task for the armed forces, but for each one of us. Deterrence and defence are tasks of society as a whole and must be supported by society. In the nations of my area of responsibility, this awareness is firmly anchored in the population. When does it start with us?
For more than two years now, Russia has been waging a war against Ukraine in violation of international law. The location on the north-eastern flank of NATO, the responsibility of the Multinational Corps Northeast, is tense. The people of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland feel their security threatened by Russia – and rightly so. They expect protection from NATO, the defence alliance to which they have been a member for 20 and 25 years respectively. This protection is my mission – and it is our mission.
These states that I have been since the 24th February 2022 also saw as “frontations”, standing geographically and from a western point of view with the back to the Baltic Sea and in the east frontally towards Russia and Belarus. From a military point of view, this space lacks operational and logistical depth: a natural disadvantage for us, the potential defender. The Canadian Chief of Defence stated in 2022: “The border to Russia and Belarus is our borderline of freedom.” His statement sums up what NATO stands for: Canada sees its freedom in a small country, around 9,000 kilometres away, is threatened. This is the mutual promise that unites us allies – now 32 nations. It is stated in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that an attack on one of us is considered an attack on all. Article 5 is the backbone of NATO. The men and women of the multinational corps northeast, currently more than 460 soldiers and civilians from 22 nations, are working around the clock to preserve this promise in the event of an attack.
Along the entire eastern flank, NATO has strengthened its military presence after Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022. At the summit in Madrid 2022, the heads of state and government decided to allow the so-called Battlegroups (multinational fighting units with some 1500 forces) to each increase to brigade size by 2027 (approximately 4,500 forces). This increased presence increases our operational, i.e. our defence readiness. On the other hand, it increases the deterrent of NATO. We know what responsibility we have for the people of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Your safety is our security. Preserving the state sovereignty of allies and protecting the freedom of its citizens is the mission of our alliance – and has been for 75 years. In the anniversary year 2024, NATO returns to its original idea.
It needs a credible deterrent
Finally, we spoke in the corps about the reasons that moved Poland 25 years ago to join NATO. A Polish comrade told me: “We joined because we knew that freedom is not self-evident.” As a soldier, I can only agree with this statement. But what does that mean for us? It means that in the event of defence, we are committed to ensuring that the citizens of our country can live in peace and freedom. This readiness forms the core of the soldiers' profession. He has always been in mind not only since my experience in Afghanistan. But as a result of the war against Ukraine and the threat to our freedom from Russia, he has gained a new relevance. This aspect is often forgotten when the national debate revolves around terms such as “fruiting”. From my personal point of view, this discussion is often shrill and ends in a navel-foam, while in Ukraine a struggle for the survival of a state is being waged. Today, and I am convinced that there would be a free Ukraine no longer if their soldiers had not been warned.
This concept is part of an equation: unity of war includes inseparably assertiveness, perseverance and the ability to win. Only if these four parameters are consistent can we credibly project deterrence. If our capabilities and our will are recognized in Moscow, no order will be made from the Kremlin. I am convinced of that. In parallel with the war against Ukraine, Russia is significantly expanding its military capabilities and aims to have 1.5 million soldiers ready for operation for up to ten years. However, it would be a mistake to conclude from this that NATO now has ten years until Russia poses a serious threat. In my assessment, Putin is already able to contract forces quickly enough to attack us. For this reason, we must now be willing to defend itself. We must be able to fight now – with what we have at our disposal. As commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast, I know: We can!
Everyone must help, we Rotarians
Another important aspect is the leadership culture within the Bundeswehr, which must focus on our soldiers, their abilities and equipment. We, the general requirements of the Bundeswehr, are called upon to lead in such a way that our men and women also have confidence in us at every stage – peace, crisis and war. This is the political task for the military leadership of the armed forces. We too must be “being-being” – in body and mind. A defense is only as steadfast as the societies that protect it. This makes it a challenge for society as a whole. For this reason, I am grateful to the Federal Minister of Defence for being the first to fill the debate on conscription since its abolition as a substance. Properly implemented, a service of the people to and their country can lead us as a society to make our contribution to their defence in the face of a threat to the freedom of all. It depends on everyone and every one of us. Whether it is service to the weapon, in the civilian sector, in the civil protection sector or in the emergency services – we all must make our contribution, including us as a Rotarian.
For me, this responsibility for society as a whole means for me: We are all part of NATO, it is not an anonymous institution. If Article 5 is the backbone of NATO, our companies form the backbone of Article 5.
Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart, RC Stade, is responsible for the security of the Baltic States and the North of Poland as commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin.