The Sleeping Giant Sleeps No More: Germany To Rearm in the Face of Russian Aggression

By: Vincent Behnke (4/17/22)

Amidst the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, inadequate attention has been given to a major ramification of the crisis: the widespread and remarkable rearmament of the European continent. Most notably, on February 27, 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that his country would not only permit arms exports to conflict zones but also buy billions of dollars of offensive military equipment and dramatically increase its defense spending.[1] Based on this shift in policy, Germany will provide its military with the third-largest budget in the world, which will exceed those of Russia, India, France, and the United Kingdom, yet lag behind those of China and the United States.[2] Given this new standing, Germany will possess one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated militaries on the planet.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many European states reduced their defense budgets, and numerous NATO members consistently spent below the organization’s target of 2% of GDP. Germany’s chronic underfunding of its armed forces, known as the Bundeswehr, generated embarrassing headlines and contention with allies, who argued that Europe’s largest economy should shoulder greater military responsibility.[3] Internally, German policy derived from the experiences of World War II. Rather than embracing militarism, the country sought a pacifist approach to global affairs that emphasized political and economic engagement with former adversaries, including Russia.[4]

In response to the invasion of Ukraine, German political consensus rapidly shifted, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz shocked the world by announcing mass rearmament. Thus far, Germany has committed to spending $110 billion on its military in the next year and devoting at least 2% of its GDP, or $90 billion, to future annual military expenditures. The country has elected to purchase sophisticated F-35 and Eurofighter fighter jets, modern interceptor missiles, several large warships, and hundreds of tanks.[5] 

Despite Russian propaganda connecting Germany’s rearmament to Nazi aggression during World War II, the German government has indicated that it solely intends to protect Germany and aligned nations against Russian belligerence. Indeed, many of Germany’s allies and neighbors, once the targets of German aggression, have welcomed the move, despite previously opposing a strong German military.[6] Even France, Germany’s former rival and previously a consistent voice against rearmament, favors the move.

Supported by its neighbors, a German state with military strength commensurate to its economic might would fundamentally reshape the European and global security landscapes. In the long run, German rearmament will further tilt the scales of power toward NATO vis-à-vis Russia and strengthen the European Union’s ability to operate as a global power in its own right.

[1] Sheahan, Maria, and Sarah Marsh, “Germany to increase defense spending in response to 'Putin's war' – Scholz,” Reuters, February 27, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/germany-hike-defense-spending-scholz-says-further-policy-shift-2022-02-27/.

[2] Schmies, Oxana, “The Zeitenwende: Has Germany Changed?” Center for European Policy Analysis, March 24, 2022, https://cepa.org/the-zeitenwende-has-germany-changed/.

[3] Borger, Julian, “US to pull 12,000 troops out of Germany as Trump blasts 'delinquent' Berlin,” The Guardian, July 29, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/29/us-germany-troop-withdrawal-donald-trump.

[4] Meister, Stefan, “Germany's Russia problem,” Wilson Center, February 1, 2022, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/germanys-russia-problem.

[5] “Germany to buy 35 Lockheed F-35 fighter jets From U.S. amid Ukraine crisis,” Reuters, March 14, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-decides-principle-buy-f-35-fighter-jet-government-source-2022-03-14.

[6] Pancevski, Bojan, Drew Hinshaw, and Daniel Michaels, “As War Reshapes Europe, Germany Pivots on Defense, Aid,” The Wall Street Journal, February 28, 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-war-reshapes-europe-germany-rearms-to-counter-threat-from-russia-11645991750.