The chief procurement officer of the German armed forces has criticised the speed at which Germany is trying to distance itself from the United States as a defense supplier.
“Everything moved a bit too quickly with the demand to become independent” said Annette Lehnigk‑Emden, president of the Bundeswehr’s procurement office, to the broadcaster ARD.
She added that business with the U.S. has been smooth so far, with no issues in executing contracts. “We are satisfied with the deliveries from the United States” she said.
Germany purchases items such as F‑35 fighter jets and Chinook helicopters from U.S. defense firms. The procurement office, based in Koblenz, maintains its own contact office in the United States.
When asked whether this foreign office is at risk because of the desire for greater independence from the U.S., Lehnigk‑Emden replied, “If the political situation changes, we will, of course, respond”.
Germany has long emphasised that Europe should rely less on U.S. support militarily. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war four years ago, the idea of European strategic autonomy has received even stronger attention.
