Why is Germany trying to build ‘Europe’s strongest conventional army’?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by John T PsaropoulosJanuary 19, 2026 at 09:56 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

In January 2026, Germany began registering 18-year-old men for potential military service, aiming to build what it claims will be Europe's strongest conventional army since World War II. The German government plans to increase active duty personnel to 260,000 by 2035 and double its reservists, offering attractive salaries and benefits to encourage voluntary service. This initiative follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz's announcement in May 2025 about strengthening the Bundeswehr. Germany's goal is to replace US hegemony with a powerful military and EU nuclear deterrent. Russia has expressed concern, viewing this military buildup as preparation for confrontation.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ukraine 30% Friedrich Merz 40% Timo Graf ×240% Sergey Nechayev 40% United States 50% NATO ×260% Bundeswehr ×260% European Union ×260% Russia ×370% Germany ×690%

Keywords

german military 90% conventional army 80% military buildup 70% russia 60% european security 60% nato 60% military recruitment 50% homeland defence 40%