Super military expansion is coming! Germany plans to increase its active-duty forces by one-third, and the U.S. claims that the 5% defense spending target has become a NATO consensus

Germany will conduct the largest military expansion since the end of the Cold War, and the logic behind this decision may completely reshape the European defense landscape and the global military-industrial pattern. According to Xinhua News Agency, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on June 5th, prior to the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting, that Germany supports NATO's large-scale military expansion plan. To this end, the Bundeswehr needs to increase its active-duty personnel by 60,000. At the same time, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that NATO allies are "almost reaching a consensus" on the goal of raising military spending to 5% of each country's GDP. Europe's Largest Economy Takes on "Heavy Responsibility" At the NATO meeting held in Brussels, Pistorius did not hide Germany's ambitions. According to Xinhua, he stated: "We (Germany) will take on a large part of NATO's military expansion plan." Media reports indicate that Pistorius mentioned that among the 32 NATO member countries, Germany's military spending will be the second highest. Pistorius clearly stated that as Europe's largest economy, Germany will take on a "heavy responsibility," including forming new troop structures and ensuring complete equipment. Xinhua cited data from the German Ministry of Defense, stating that by the end of 2024, the number of German troops will be approximately 181,000. Based on this estimate, adding 60,000 soldiers means the size of the army will expand by one-third. Pistorius emphasized during his meeting with NATO allies in Brussels: "The era of complaining about insufficient budgets for the past few decades is over. Today is the starting point, and we need to catch up. We have started and are accelerating, given the current threat situation, this is very urgent." U.S. Defense Secretary Reiterates U.S. Position: Military Spending Must Account for 5% of GDP During the meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth told reporters that NATO allies have "almost reached a consensus" on the 5% military spending target. This figure is significantly higher than the current 2% standard, and some member countries have not even reached 2%. Media pointed out that not long ago, the aforementioned 5% military spending target was considered unrealistic. However, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg managed to reach a consensus on this target, which includes core defense spending accounting for 3.5% of GDP and defense-related spending accounting for 1.5%, the latter covering areas such as logistics and cybersecurity. The timeline for achieving this target is under discussion, with some allies pushing for compliance by 2030, while the official timeline being discussed is 2032. Stoltenberg stated on the 4th in Brussels that NATO needs more resources, troops, and capabilities to respond to any threats and to fully implement NATO's collective defense plan. He emphasized that the urgent priority is to increase the deployment of air defense and missile defense systems, as well as long-range weapon systems. Hegseth reiterated the U.S. position that NATO allies must allocate 5% of their GDP to military spending. This ratio is clearly higher than the current average level among NATO countries. Xinhua previously reported that by the end of 2024, 22 NATO member countries' military spending will reach 2% of GDP. Several countries, including Italy, Spain, and Belgium, have not yet met this target. To achieve a military spending level of 3.5% by 2032, these countries may need to make significant efforts in their budgets Hegersais emphasized: "I am here to ensure that every NATO country understands that everyone must give their all. What truly serves as a deterrent is hard power, and this cannot solely rely on the capabilities of the United States." Military Expansion Faces Real Challenges Germany's military expansion plan faces numerous practical difficulties. Data from the German Ministry of Defense shows that by the end of 2024, the number of personnel in the German military is expected to be around 181,000, still nearly 20,000 short of the target of 203,000 set in 2018. According to Xinhua News Agency, when discussing whether to restore conscription, Pistorius stated that at this stage, Germany lacks the necessary training and accommodation infrastructure, and therefore will continue to maintain a volunteer military service system while gradually expanding related capabilities. He stated: "Restoring conscription now is pointless because we have neither barrack capacity nor training capability. These capabilities must be developed first, and until then, the volunteer military service system will remain in place." The media believes that the model promoted by Pistorius relies on voluntary service but also leaves room for implementing compulsory conscription if necessary. Under this plan, all 18-year-old youths will receive a questionnaire regarding their willingness to enlist and their physical condition, which males must fill out, while females can participate voluntarily. Easing Debt Brake Paves the Way for Armament To achieve large-scale military expansion, Germany has made significant adjustments at the institutional level. In March of this year, German President Steinmeier signed an amendment to the Basic Law, easing the restrictions of the "debt brake" clause, allowing the government to borrow massively to invest in defense and infrastructure. This groundbreaking move provides core support for Germany to take on more responsibilities in European defense. Germany previously lifted the debt limits on military investment and supported NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's plan to raise military spending targets to 5% of GDP. At the NATO summit to be held later this month in The Hague, Netherlands, member countries will finalize the targets for increasing defense spending, which will directly affect the final arrangements for the types of military forces and the number of soldiers required by each country