German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that supply shortfalls due to the war in Ukraine will be severe and could lead to further conflicts in already vulnerable countries, Reuters reported.

She highlighted the need for Germany to maintain contacts with authoritarian regimes, even if they do not share its values, and not to remain silent on issues related to economic or energy interests.

The foreign minister also highlighted the need for an inclusive approach to national security, including international partners, saying that “security policy is more than just the military plus diplomacy."

“The EU is currently formulating for the first time an extensive security policy strategy” which she says was initiated by Germany. “This war shows once more, that the security of Europe depends on NATO’s collective defence,” she said, arguing that Germany’s security should be complementary with EU and NATO security policies.

“Our military exercises need to reflect new realities and we need to factor in that the eastern flank of the alliance is under a new threat, so we need more NATO presence in southeastern European countries,” she said. “Germany will make a substantial contribution to that in Slovakia.”

However, she reiterated Germany's goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

The diplomat called for a new security strategy focused on the future, including a focus on cybersecurity. “We are seeing that cyber attacks are an integral part of modern warfare,” she said.

She also announced that Berlin would develop a new strategy toward China along with a new security strategy, citing instability in countries where Beijing has invested in infrastructure, such as Africa.