German defence minister Christine Lambrecht quits

The German defence minister, Christine Lambrecht, has resigned after growing doubt was cast on her ability to lead the country in reviving its long-neglected armed forces against the backdrop of the Ukraine war.

“Today I asked the chancellor to dismiss me from the office of federal minister of defence,” Lambrecht, a member of Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), said in the statement.

“The months-long media focus on my person hardly allows for objective reporting and discussion about servicemen and women … and security policy decisions in the interest of the citizens of Germany.”

Scholz is under pressure to approve an increase in international military support for Kyiv to help it repel Russian forces from Ukraine.

Lambrecht, 57, has been blamed for failing to get the army back in shape quickly despite a €100bn special fund being agreed on for that purpose after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The long-running debate over the state of Germany’s defence capabilities intensified last month when several Puma infantry tanks were put out of service during a recent military drill.

She was recently criticised by media and opposition figures for posting an outdoor video on social media on New Year’s Day in which she thanked servicemen and women, but struggled to be heard against background noise from firecrackers and seemingly mixed up the war in Ukraine with pleasant personal encounters.

“What kind of a year was 2022? It faced us with many incredible challenges. There is a war raging in the middle of Europe. Associated with this were for me many special impressions, many encounters with interesting, great people,” Lambrecht said in the video.

Leading German media blasted the tone-deaf message, with some commentators saying she was “no longer tenable as a minister”.

Rumours had since been swirling that she was planning to hand in her resignation. There was no immediate news of her successor.

Lambrecht’s move comes at a crucial time, with Germany and other western allies under increasing pressure to deliver battle tanks to Ukraine.

The Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which coordinates arms supplies to Kyiv, is due to meet this week at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on last February marked a big turning point in German defence policy, with Scholz announcing a a €100bn fund to upgrade the army, known as the Bundeswehr.

After years of chronic underinvestment, Scholz in September vowed to transform the country’s military into the “best equipped” in Europe.

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