Germany faces challenge as NATO demands 40,000 new troops
NATO is expected to call on Germany to establish seven new brigades, resulting in an increase of approximately 40,000 soldiers, according to Reuters on Tuesday. This poses a significant challenge to the Bundeswehr, which is already dealing with personnel shortages.
What do you need to know?
- NATO plans to increase the number of brigades: The Alliance is requesting that Germany establish seven new brigades, which means boosting the number of soldiers by 40,000.
- New defense goals: NATO defense ministers are expected to outline new defense targets, potentially increasing current requirements by 50%.
- Challenges for Germany: The Bundeswehr is already struggling to maintain 203,000 soldiers, which could complicate meeting the new requirements.
The new defense objectives are to be deliberated upon by defense ministers from the member countries next week, as reported by Reuters. A senior army official disclosed that NATO aims to establish 120 to 130 brigades, which would increase current goals by 50%.
What are NATO's new requirements?
In 2021, the Berlin government committed to making 10 brigades—units typically comprising about 5,000 soldiers—available to NATO by 2030. Currently, Germany has eight brigades, with a ninth being formed in Lithuania, expected to be ready by 2027. According to three anonymous sources cited by Reuters, NATO will request seven new brigades from Germany.
The German Defense Ministry and NATO have not responded to inquiries regarding this information.
Increasing the number of soldiers by 40,000 could be a significant challenge for Germany. The Bundeswehr has yet to achieve its goal of 203,000 soldiers, a target set in 2018, and it is currently short by about 20,000 professional military personnel. Moreover, NATO's current plans do not factor in the potential reduction of the American contingent in Europe, which could affect the situation.
NATO would require an additional 35 to 50 brigades to fully execute defense plans in response to a potential Russian attack, and Germany alone would need to quadruple its military personnel. Reuters highlighted that the current plans do not yet account for the possible reduction of the American contingent in Europe.
The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump had announced that discussions with European allies about reducing the number of American soldiers in Europe would commence this year.
What are Germany's financial plans?
Germany has decided on a "historic change" in fiscal policy by adopting a law reforming the "debt brake." Spending on military, civil defense, and cybersecurity exceeding 1% of GDP will not be subject to budget constraints. Berlin has also assumed that the Bundeswehr must be "ready for war" by 2029, aligning with NATO's forecasts regarding the expansion of Russian armed forces.
