BERLIN (Reuters) -- German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht resigned from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government on Monday, the culmination of growing doubt about her ability to revive Germany’s armed forces against the backdrop of the Ukraine war.
Her decision dealt a blow to Scholz at a time when Germany is under pressure to approve an increase in military support for Kyiv, and Germany’s defense capabilities have been called into question after several Puma infantry tanks were put out of service during a recent military drill.

The pressure to find a successor is mounting also because U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is expected in Berlin on Thursday and will attend a conference on Friday at the U.S. military base in Ramstein, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, to discuss further support for Ukraine, including whether to send German-built battle tanks.
Lambrecht asked Scholz to dismiss her, as formally required, and he has approved, a spokesperson for the Social Democratic (SPD)-led coalition government said.
Lambrecht was blamed by critics for failing to get the German armed forces, known as the Bundeswehr, back in shape quickly, despite a 100-billion-euro ($108.11 billion) special fund being agreed for that purpose after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Lambrecht was most recently criticized by media and opposition figures for posting a New Year’s message on social media 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 confronted 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.