German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht officially submitted her resignation on Monday.
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German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht tendered her resignation on Monday, amid scrutiny of Berlin’s response to the war in Ukraine.
“Today I asked the chancellor to be relieved of the position of defense minister,” Lambrecht said in a statement, according to a CNBC translation.
Her stepping down comes as Germany contemplates whether to agree to increase military support to Ukraine in order to help the armed forces in Kyiv prevail against the Russian offensive.
“The media’s focus for months on a personal subject hardly allows for objective reports and discussions about soldiers, the armed forces and the course of security policy for the benefit of German citizens,” Lambrecht said.
She added, “The invaluable work being done by Soldiers and so many passionate people in the industry has to come to the fore. So I decided to make my position available.” “I thank everyone who is involved in our security every day and I sincerely wish them all the best for the future.”
Lambrecht, a senior lawmaker in German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, has faced constant pressure about her credibility to lead the country’s armed forces.
Several media outlets reported over the weekend that Lambrecht’s resignation could be imminent, after a series of gaffes.
This is a breaking news story, please check back later for more information.
— CNBC’s Sophie Kiderlin contributed to this report.
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