NATO call: Germany faces troop surge challenge
NATO will demand that Germany establish seven new brigades, leading to an increase of 40,000 soldiers, reported the Reuters agency on Tuesday. This presents a challenge for the Bundeswehr, which is already grappling with personnel shortages.
What do you need to know?
- NATO plans to increase the number of brigades: The Alliance wants Germany to establish seven new brigades, necessitating an increase of 40,000 soldiers.
- New defence targets: NATO defence ministers are expected to set new defence goals that could raise current requirements by 50%.
- Challenges for Germany: The Bundeswehr is already struggling to reach 203,000 soldiers, which may impede meeting new demands.
NATO's new defence objectives are to be set next week by the defence ministers of member countries, according to the Reuters agency. A high-ranking military official revealed that NATO plans to establish 120 to 130 brigades, representing a 50% increase in current targets.
What are NATO's new requirements?
In 2021, the Berlin government agreed to make 10 brigades—units usually numbering about 5,000 soldiers—available to NATO by 2030. Currently, Germany has eight brigades and is forming a ninth one in Lithuania, which is expected to be ready by 2027. Citing three anonymous sources, the Reuters agency reported that NATO will demand seven new brigades from Germany.
The German Defence Ministry and NATO did not respond to requests for comment on this information.
Increasing the number of soldiers by 40,000 could be a significant challenge for Germany. The Bundeswehr has not yet achieved its goal of 203,000 soldiers, even though this target was set in 2018. It currently lacks about 20,000 professional military personnel. Additionally, NATO's current plans do not yet account for the reduction of the American contingent in Europe, which could impact the situation.
NATO would need about 35 to 50 additional brigades to fully implement defence plans in the event of a Russian attack, and Germany would need to quadruple its military personnel. Moreover, the Alliance's current plans do not yet consider the reduction of the American contingent in Europe, as emphasized by Reuters.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced that talks with European allies about reducing the number of American soldiers in Europe would begin this year.
What are Germany's financial plans?
Germany has embarked on a "historic change" in fiscal policy by reforming the "debt brake." Military, civil defence, and cybersecurity spending exceeding 1% of GDP will not be subject to budget constraints. Berlin has also decided that the Bundeswehr must be "ready for war" by 2029, which relates to NATO's forecasts concerning the expansion of the Russian armed forces.
