Germany will need an additional 50,000 to 60,000 troops to meet NATO's new arms and personnel goals, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Thursday. His statement comes on the eve of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, where the new requirements are expected to be formally approved, Reuters reports.
"We are taking responsibility as the largest economy in Europe", Pistorius stressed, adding that the preparations were in response to "the increased threat from Russia".
The new requirements stem from NATO's first large-scale defense plans since the end of the Cold War, which outline how allies would respond to a possible attack from Russia. They are accompanied by secret reports on the shortage of key capabilities - from combat-ready ground forces and long-range weapons, to ammunition and command and control systems.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has indicated that the alliance must invest heavily in air defense, long-range missile systems, mobile ground units and communications technology. "All this requires enormous resources," he added.
According to Pistorius, the size of the Bundeswehr should reach between 250,000 and 260,000 people, compared to the current 183,000. This means a serious increase in personnel, including the possible provision of seven more brigades to NATO - or nearly 40,000 people from the ground forces alone, according to Reuters sources.
This presents Berlin with the difficult task of rebuilding the human resources of the army, which has not yet reached the target of 203,000 soldiers set back in 2018. The German armed forces are currently suffering from a shortage of nearly 20,000 men.
Is the debate over compulsory military service returning?
The expected difficulties in recruiting tens of thousands of new soldiers are likely to renew the debate about reinstating conscription, which was abolished in 2011. Pistorius said the government was considering whether the planned voluntary service would be enough to fill the ranks. According to him, even if there was political will, the army currently does not have the capacity to take on more conscripts - it lacks barracks, instructors and infrastructure.
However, the minister is optimistic that the Bundeswehr can become an "attractive employer" and to attract enough young people willing to serve for a longer period.
Berlin's financial turnaround
Germany recently made a major turnaround in its financial policy, easing the so-called "debt brake" (Schuldenbremse) to allocate more funds for defense. The country also supported Rutte's proposal to increase NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP - significantly above the previous target of 2%.
With the new commitments, Berlin is strengthening its role as a key partner in European security, but it is also facing a number of logistical, personnel and societal challenges in an attempt to transform its army in response to modern threats.