Berlin criticizes the Janša government’s decision: “I would not speculate about its motives”

Florian Hahn, Germany’s deputy foreign minister, says Europe is confronting an increasingly dangerous security environment. Russia’s war against Ukraine, hybrid attacks and worsening tensions in the Middle East are all adding to the pressure.

Hahn said Russian activity is becoming increasingly “kinetic”, and Germany is preparing active countermeasures. Berlin does not view those steps as escalation, he said, but as defense. He argued that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security by strengthening its defense capabilities and investing not only in conventional military equipment, but also in drones, digitalization and the protection of critical infrastructure.

He also warned that a possible regional government led by the Alternative for Germany would pose a serious challenge to German political culture. Such a government, however, could not change Germany’s fundamental orientation toward the European Union and NATO or its support for Ukraine, Hahn said.

Hahn expressed regret that Slovenia was the only EU member state to block a joint condemnation of the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The European Union is strong in foreign policy only when it acts together, he said, while adding that Janša’s government itself must explain the reasons for Slovenia’s decision.

Even so, Hahn said the decision alone did not mean that the Slovenian Democratic Party had fundamentally distanced itself from the European People’s Party. Germany continues to view Slovenia as an important and valued partner, and he expects constructive cooperation to continue, including on support for Ukraine and European security.

“

I would not speculate about its motives.