US EditionGermany unveils strategy for becoming Europe’s strongest military by 2039
The plan would expand active troops to 260,000 and reservists to 200,000 as Germany shifts to effects-based planning and stronger NATO defense.
- On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius unveiled Germany's first standalone military strategy, titled "Responsibility for Europe," designed to build Europe's strongest conventional army by 2039.
- Russia is identified as the primary threat, with the strategy warning that hybrid operations and ongoing rearmament could trigger a direct confrontation with NATO within the next year.
- Germany plans to expand its military to 460,000 combat-ready troops by the mid-2030s, positioning reserves "on par with the active force" for homeland defense and logistics support.
- Modernization efforts center on the EMA26 agenda, mandating 153 concrete measures to cut bureaucracy and digitize workflows while shifting toward a "one theater approach" for interconnected security.
- This strategic overhaul aims to shoulder more NATO responsibility amid pressure from President Donald Trump, who has frequently threatened to withdraw from the alliance over insufficient European defense spending.
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71 Articles
He plans to raise his strength to 460,000. He seeks a more flexible army, better equipped and prepared for high-intensity scenarios.
Germany pledges more military might
Germany vowed to take on more “responsibility” for Europe’s defense, in the country’s first-ever postwar military strategy. The new 35-page report calls for quickly boosting troop numbers and military capabilities, and is primarily aimed at deterring Russia, analysts said. Germany was long seen as hesitant to appear overly militaristic or nationalistic, but the Ukraine war — and now the Iran conflict — has pushed Berlin to increase defense spend…
'Greatest threat' — as Russia arms for large-scale war, Germany unveils plan to build Europe's strongest army
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius unveiled a new national military strategy on April 22 in light of Russia's growing threat. It marks Germany's first such strategy since World War II.
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