The German Army Doesn't Scare Putin. Now It’s Beefing Up
Germany is finally providing the cash to strengthen its military, but bureaucratic hurdles need tackling too.
Soldiers of the German armed forces Bundeswehr.
Photographer: PETRAS MALUKAS/AFPGermany’s armed forces are “more or less bare,” the country’s most senior army officer, Alfons Mais, declared last month in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The options that we can offer the politicians to support the alliance are extremely limited. We all saw it coming and were not able to get through with our arguments … This does not feel good! I am pissed off!”
Rather than admonish Mais for insubordination, Germany’s government actually agreed with him. Addressing the Bundestag three days later, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a 100 billion-euro ($111 billion) military investment fund and promised that the country would finally meet its NATO obligation to spend 2% of economic output on defense (instead of around 1.5% currently).