Germany Urges to Bolster Military Force
(MENAFN) Germany must significantly expand its military personnel—by up to 45 percent—to fulfill NATO obligations and respond to the security challenge posed by Russia, according to the head of the German Armed Forces Association.
Colonel Andre Wuestner emphasized that the troop count should eventually rise from 180,000 to 260,000 to align with NATO expectations and deter the Russian threat.
“The Bundeswehr (German army) must definitely be larger than the 203,300 soldiers originally set as the target for 2025 before the pandemic,” he told the RND editorial network.
Wuestner, whose association advocates for German military personnel, added:
“The future target size depends on the design of NATO capability goals and the burden-bearing capacity of Germany. But I assume that, depending on what is decided at the NATO summit, we will need between 40,000 and 60,000 additional soldiers.”
He highlighted that the standing army would need to expand progressively to around 260,000 troops, while a strong reserve force should also be developed, aiming for a total military strength of 460,000.
This push for larger troop numbers comes ahead of a critical NATO summit next month, where member states are expected to re-evaluate their defense strategies due to the continuing conflict in Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who assumed office earlier this month, has made revamping the military a top priority.
To support increased defense investment, Germany in March relaxed its so-called “debt brake,” a financial regulation that limits government borrowing.
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