When will our German friends come to their senses?

I will share with you an interesting anecdote from Steadfast Dart 2026, NATO's largest exercise in recent years. When you read it, you'll say, "They'll never learn." And I will reply, "No, this is a process of getting used to it." But first, we need to look at the bigger picture.

Germany, the defeated power of World War II, was placed under "controlled freedom" by the USA (along with Japan) after the war to ensure it wouldn't cause trouble again. Its security is entrusted to the USA.

PUTIN IS INURED TO SANCTIONS, TIME IS WORKING AGAINST EUROPE

However, at this point, the USA is telling NATO members and Germany to "increase your defense spending." (According to the memoirs of former NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, the term "parasites" belongs not to Trump but to Obama.) What Obama said behind closed doors, Trump says openly. He conveys the message: "Learn to stand on your own two feet."

The Germans know they can no longer rest on their laurels. Alarm bells are ringing in Europe regarding the Russian threat. According to leaked information, the Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Geneva have been very tough. Putin sees that the US stance is emboldening him. Trump had given both parties until the summer to make peace; otherwise, he would impose sanctions on both. The Russians are inured to sanctions. In this picture, it is Ukraine whose space is shrinking. And, of course, Europe.

AUTHORITY FOR BND TO CONDUCT EXTERNAL OPERATIONS

All discussions at the Munich Security Conference held last week revolved around this picture. The report prepared for the conference emphasizes that "the international order is being dismantled by the USA itself." This is why the Germans have entered a search for a new diplomatic, political, military, and intelligence positioning. German Chancellor Merz, in his speech at the conference, complained about "dependency on the USA." He spoke of the need to "establish a new transatlantic partnership." Pointing directly to Türkiye, he said that some countries play a key role in new partnerships. The proposal for a "nuclear umbrella" for Europe, together with France, is quite striking. While Merz was making this speech, news emerged about a transformation in German intelligence. Germany is preparing to grant the BND authority to carry out sabotage and covert operations abroad.

Germany has significant financial capacity and industrial infrastructure to build a new, large army. However, when it comes to putting this capacity into practice, they face serious difficulties. The most important challenge is the population. Germany's median age is 46. The antidote to this situation is controlled immigration. The need for immigration, however, hits the wall of the rising far-right. This creates a serious dilemma and causes fluctuations in European countries, especially Germany.

ONE END IN THE BALTIC SEA, THE OTHER IN SOMALIA

Now we can move on to the NATO exercise. The Turkish Armed Forces, in the Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, quite literally put on a display of force. TCG Anadolu, two thousand personnel, armored vehicles, landing elements, TB3 UAVs… Why did Türkiye come to the forefront so much in the exercise?

One factor that brings Türkiye to the fore is the TSK's "strategic transport" capacity. Transporting a large number of ships, personnel, and vehicles to the Baltic Sea, planning and executing this, is a significant capability. Let me also point out a detail that might be missed. While the TSK was sending a large force to the Baltic Sea for the exercise, TCG Sancaktar and two accompanying vessels were simultaneously dispatched to Somalia. We are talking about a "strategic transport" capacity that simultaneously extends from the Baltic Sea to Somalia.

WE WERE PROUD OF THE TB3

The other factor highlighting the TSK in the exercise is the defense industry. The TB3's takeoffs and landings on TCG Anadolu and its accurate firing off the German coast received praise. Those who witnessed the moment say… "There's a lot of wind, it's very cold. The deck is freezing. Takeoff is risky because of this. Due to the bad weather conditions, Rafale aircraft were not launched. The TB3 pushed its limits. Eleven NATO member countries are in the exercise. Everyone appreciated it. They asked: What is the wind limit of the TB3? We were proud."

This picture provides good ground for strengthening intra-NATO relations and developing Türkiye-EU/Europe relations. If you remove the USA from NATO, what remains is Türkiye (and a few other countries). This reality emerged strongly during the exercise. But there are also some limits ahead, obstacles that need to be overcome. For instance… I heard this from a friend in Germany. The fact that the TB3 would conduct live-fire exercises off the German coast sparked debate "internally." The Germans were wary of "far-right" reactions (and propaganda from organization sympathizers). Although it was part of the exercise planning, they tentatively probed, asking, "Maybe the firing could be skipped?" The matter was closed upon receiving the reply, "You must be joking!"

This is Germany's/Europe's process of adjusting to the new world. We will experience many more such fluctuations. Just like… Türkiye cannot benefit from the SAFE loans planned for defense spending, while even Canada is included in this program.