Germany is increasing defense spending amid Russia threat claims, NATO tensions and plans to turn its forces into Europe’s strongest army.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said European countries are being forced to raise defense spending because of what he described as a supposed threat from Russia, Reuters reported.
According to Merz, the European Union still expects support from the United States and assumes that American troops will stand with European allies if needed. He said European states, including Germany, are spending billions to rebuild their armed forces in response to the perceived Russian threat.
Merz also pointed to tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and European NATO partners. The dispute escalated after EU members refused to support the United States and Israel in the war against Iran.
The chancellor said that amid growing geopolitical instability, Germany is taking on a special role: protecting its own security while also preserving European unity. He added that Berlin intends to transform the country’s armed forces into the strongest regular army on the continent.
According to Bloomberg, Germany has already started repurposing some civilian infrastructure for military needs.