Germany is preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia, while military investment is increasing significantly. Parliament gave the Bundeswehr the green light to receive new funds, bypassing debt limits for defense.
The head of the German army, General Carsten Breuer, warns that Russia could attack NATO within four years. "We are threatened by Russia, by Putin. We must do everything to prevent this," he told the BBC.
From peace to a new Germany
For decades, Germany has avoided military buildup, remembering its past as an aggressor in two world wars. Angela Merkel's Berlin had pursued a policy of rapprochement with Moscow through economic cooperation, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown this approach to be a failure.
In February 2022, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a historic turnaround ("Zeitenwende"), committing 100 billion euros to the military. But General Breuer says these funds are not enough to cover the huge gaps in armaments and infrastructure, writes A2 CNN.
Rising costs and security concerns
The latest parliamentary report estimates that the Bundeswehr has "too little of everything" - from ammunition to basic infrastructure for soldiers. The cost of repairs is estimated at 67 billion euros.
For this reason, the new government led by Friedrich Merz decided to remove the defense debt limit, providing the military with a stable source of funding. This move was made in haste, before the dissolution of parliament after the February elections, with the aim of avoiding obstacles from the anti-militarist left and the pro-Russian right.
According to a YouGov poll, 79% of Germans see Vladimir Putin as a serious threat to peace in Europe. But concerns have also been heightened by the positions of the new US administration, especially after a speech by Vice President JD Vance in Munich, which criticized Europe and its values.
"We don't know where the US is going, but the confidence that we can rely 100% on American defense has been lost," says expert Markus Ziener.
Reinstatement of military service?
In addition to equipment, Germany also needs troops. The Bundeswehr has failed to increase its number of soldiers from 183,000 to 203,000. General Breuer says the country needs an additional 100,000 soldiers to protect itself and NATO's eastern flank. He says the return of conscription is "absolutely necessary."
At public meetings, Breuer asks citizens a provocative question: "Are you ready for war?" When a woman accused him of intimidation, he replied: "It's not me who scares you, it's Putin."
With the Russian threat and a US increasingly distanced from Europe, Germany is facing a new reality: the era of peace is over. (A2 Televizion)
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