You're right that it's preferable to lower debt when conditions are right but we're exact opposite situation. Green transformation, military spending, recovery after pandemic are critical expenditures. Green transformation is an investment that's going to pay for itself so artificial ceiling is just dumb. Without military buildup everything could be for nothing.
Neokeynsian or MMT economics would say that debt ceiling should reflect multiple factors but the currency you're borrowing in is a pretty important. We've also learned time and time again that austerity destroys economies, livelihoods and benefits those that are already wealthy. You have to invest to recover unless you plan on closing down the shop entirely.
For example, Polish debt is at ~50% of GDP at the moment (and that is after being much lower prior to pandemic). 80% of that debt is in PLN so were essentially borrowing from ourselves and repaying ourselves. Yet it's becoming a big deal that our temporary military expenditures are pushing us over 3% yearly limit. The whole policy is divorced from reality and kneecaps European economies. One of economists I follow calls it financial anorexia.