Germany Aims to Build Europe's Strongest Conventional Military, Chancellor Says

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced an ambitious goal to build the most powerful non-nuclear military force in Europe, stating that allies and partners not only support but expect this vision from Berlin.

"The federal government will mobilize all necessary financial resources to ensure that the Bundeswehr becomes the strongest non-nuclear military in Europe," Merz said in a major policy address to parliament.

He argued that Germany must invest more heavily in its armed forces to deter potential threats and to make both Germany and Europe “so strong that weapons will never have to be used.”

“As the most populous country in Europe and the largest economy on the continent, this goal is not only reasonable—it is expected of us by our friends and allies,” Merz added.

To achieve this, Germany plans to loosen its long-standing fiscal debt brake, allowing the government to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars to fund defense initiatives. A significant portion of that funding will also go toward continued military assistance to Ukraine.

Germany is currently the second-largest provider of military aid to Ukraine, trailing only the United States. Chancellor Merz reaffirmed Berlin’s commitment to Kyiv and urged Western allies to remain unified in their support. He emphasized that the outcome of the war will not only determine Ukraine’s fate but could reshape the future of the global order.

Still, Germany faces significant hurdles in achieving its military goals—especially in terms of troop numbers.

Speaking at the German Council on Foreign Relations in April, General Carsten Breuer, head of the Bundeswehr, said the army needs to recruit an additional 100,000 soldiers “as soon as possible.” Despite increased recruitment efforts, many young Germans remain reluctant to pursue a career in the military.

The German armed forces are also under pressure to modernize amid growing concerns over the reliability of U.S. security guarantees for Europe. In March, the German parliament approved a dramatic increase in defense spending, with plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars over the coming years.

(Sources: Politico, Reuters)

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