US President Donald Trump can feel vindicated: Germany’s new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said this week that the government will invest 5% of GDP in defense. Speaking at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Turkey, on Thursday, Wadephul also said Germany will support NATO’s proposal to allocate 3.5% for classic military purposes and an additional 1.5% for defense-related infrastructure. However, it will only become clear exactly how much all the members of the security alliance plan to invest at a NATO summit scheduled for the end of June in The Hague, Netherlands.
Wadephul’s comments came a day after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he wanted to transform the Bundeswehr into the strongest conventional army in Europe. If Germany increases its defense expenditure to 5% of GDP, it will be making a historic turnaround in security policy. Since the end of the Cold War, it has primarily relied on international cooperation, diplomacy and a culture of strategic military restraint.
France, which is the only nuclear power in the EU, has pursued a strategy of global presence and military autonomy. The French defense budget has increased significantly since President Emmanuel Macron came to power in 2017. Poland has invested heavily in the military with the goal of developing the strongest land forces in Europe. The largest state on NATO’s eastern flank wants to deter Russia. The United Kingdom is also planning to increase its defense spending, with a focus on high-tech capabilities. Italy has a powerful air force, but its land forces are considered outdated and in need of reform.
Despite these multibillion-euro rearmament programs in Europe, little is likely to change in the global ranking of military strength in the medium term. According to the 2025 Global Firepower review, the United States clearly leads, followed by Russia, China, India and South Korea. The United Kingdom follows in sixth place, while France is ninth. Germany is currently 11th.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/how-germany-and-europe-are-bulking-up-militaries/a-72570394?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
