“The German army must add 100,000 active troops to its existing 62,000 troops to meet new NATO objectives aimed at increasing readiness for the growing threat of Russian aggression,” its commander has declared.
“It is imperative that the army becomes sufficiently war-ready by 2029 and offers the capabilities that Germany promised NATO by 2035,” said Army Chief Alfons Mais.
He said achieving these goals was impossible with currently approved personnel levels, which also include 37,000 inactive troops.
It is known that Germany has already begun to increase its commitments to allies in Eastern Europe, not least with the creation of a German brigade in Lithuania, which will number about 5,000 troops, and a deployment of naval patrols in the Baltic to combat underwater sabotage.
Mais called for an increase of about 45,000 active troops by 2029 – the year the US-led alliance has said it expects Russia to be capable of a large-scale attack on Western allies.
Meanwhile, Moscow has consistently denied any intention to wage war against NATO or its members.
Furthermore, to meet NATO objectives agreed at a summit in June and to build reserves for a war of the kind Russia is waging in Ukraine, Mais projected a requirement for 45,000 more active troops by 2035.
He also called for about 10,000 additional troops to strengthen territorial defenses. /Telegraph/