Germany Labels Russia an “Existential Threat” to Europe, Bundeswehr Strategy Warns

Germany’s armed forces have identified Russia as an “existential threat” to both the country and the broader European continent.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to Reuters, citing Der Tagesspiegel.

The document, developed over 18 months by senior military officials and defense experts, warns that the Kremlin is systematically reorienting its industrial base and command structures toward preparing for a large-scale confrontation with NATO by the end of the decade.

Citing verified intelligence, the paper claims that Russia is intensifying its military buildup near NATO borders, particularly in western Russia, and could field as many as 1.5 million active-duty troops as early as 2026.

To counter this growing threat, the document calls for a comprehensive strengthening of both Germany’s military and its civilian preparedness. 

The authors stress that only a whole-of-society approach will be sufficient to deter or withstand potential aggression.

While the German Defense Ministry has not publicly commented on the contents of the report, its emergence adds urgency to an already intensifying debate about Europe’s defense readiness. 

In a notable shift, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently expressed support for raising NATO’s defense spending benchmark to 5% of national GDP – a move that aligns with calls from U.S. President Donald Trump and marks a departure from Germany’s traditionally restrained fiscal posture. 

As The Gaze reported earlier, this year Germany’s guaranteed support for Ukraine will amount to €7 billion, but the German government plans to allocate an additional €1.9 billion.