Dear General Rittimann,
Dear General Kohl,
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to Hamburg City Hall.
This is the first time the NATO Conference of Commandants is taking place in Hamburg.
We are a port and merchant city with a long history of overseas trade.
For centuries, we have been committed to co-operation and friendly international relations.
After the Second World War, Hamburg assigned itself the constitutional duty to promote the spirit of peace among the peoples of the world.
The Russian attack on Ukraine shows us that peace cannot be taken for granted and that it must be defended if necessary. Every day, we witness the suffering, but also the bravery of the people of Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz called this moment in time “Zeitenwende”, a turning point in history.
We are experiencing a radical change in the international security order.
Germany is increasing its military spending and, like many other countries, is supplying arms to Ukraine.
NATO and the European Union, their members and partner countries stand united against Russian aggression.
In these times, fundamental questions of peace and security are daily topics of discussion: on television, at the office, at home around the dinner table.
NATO is at the center of public attention, and we recognize what we almost forgot: That the strength and the unity of NATO are key factors for stability in Europe.
Over the weekend, our European neighbors Finland and Sweden announced their intention to join NATO, which would further strengthen the alliance.
Or to quote NATO Deputy Secretary General Geoană, who was our guest of honor at the traditional Matthiae meal two years ago: “Whatever challenges we face, and whatever differences we have, we are stronger together.”
Ladies and gentlemen,
For fifty years, the NATO Conference of Commandants has been an important opportunity to meet and exchange ideas and best practices in defense education.
With your commitment to common standards, modern teaching methods, and co-operation, you are giving international military leaders an excellent foundation for their future responsibilities.
Your conference is dedicated to “Resilience’ – the ability to adapt quickly and successfully to difficulties, changes, or unforeseen events. This topic was determined long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
But, after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic and in the face of a significant shift in international security, it couldn’t be more fitting.
On behalf of the Senate, I would like to thank General Kohl and the team at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College for hosting this conference.
I wish all of you an interesting week here in Hamburg, with many new insights and good conversations.
Thank you very much.