Cranking Up the Troops: Pistorius Seeks a whooping 60k More Soldiers for NATO
Military Force Expansion Suggested by Pistorius: Potential Addition of 60,000 Actively Serving Soldiers
In a no-nonsense chat, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius dropped a bomb in Brussels: the German military needs a staggering 50,000 to 60,000 more troops in the active forces to meet NATO's beefed-up defense goals[1][3][4].
This big ask comes ahead of a gathering of NATO defense ministers. The new goals aim to bolster NATO's deterrence and defense amid lingering threats from Russia[2].
"We're looking at a rough estimate of around 50,000 to 60,000 more soldiers than we have now. With this new military service, the question naturally arises: Will it be enough to withstand the challenges of the coming years?" Pistorius said.
NATO's Military Expansion: A Sovereign Matter
NATO is gunning for a major military expansion[2] to counter the looming Russian threat. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had warned the previous day in Brussels: "We need more resources, more troops, and capabilities to be ready for any scenario and fully implement our collective defense plans." Priority areas include air and missile defense, long-range weaponry, logistics, and massive land forces[2].
The Bundeswehr in a State of Decline
Despite an increase in recruits, the Bundeswehr's soldier population declined last year, while the average age went up. By the end of 2024, there were roughly 181,150 troops in uniform[3]. Compared to the end of 2023, this represented a decrease from around 181,500[3]. The target had been 203,000 active soldiers[3].
Pistorius had previously outlined his plan for a new military service. The SPD politician mentioned a total of approximately 460,000 soldiers back then, specifically, 203,000 active personnel, 60,000 reservists, and a further 200,000 new reservists required[3]. Military planners project the upper limit of 460,000 to be maintained, although a bigger active force and fewer reservists might be planned[3].
The Ghost of Compulsory Military Service
Germany has pledged in the 2+4 treaties to limit its military personnel to 370,000[5]. The Scientific Service of the German Bundestag wrote in February 2025 that "personnel strength" isn't clearly defined and implies a focus only on the active, consistently available troop strength[5].
As conversations around conscription rev up, the new parliamentary ombudsman for the military, CDU member Henning Otte, suggested that voluntary military service will be revisited during the current legislative period[5].
Keywords: Bundeswehr, Boris Pistorius, Federal Ministry of Defense, NATO, Russia, Military Expansion, Compulsory Military Service, Personnel Strength, Air and Missile Defense, Long-range Weapon Systems, Logistics, Land Forces.
[1] https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Artikel/Pistorius-bei-Nato-Bundeswehr-zu-viel-leicht-handhabbar-geworden-100.html[2] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/stetig-zu-nl-verbundeten-fuehrungskriegen-aus-dokumenten-mindestens-eine-entschliessung-von-vorteil-a-139102561.html[3] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/plus883116066/Wird-Bundeswehr-regelrechts-hohern-Personalstand-aufbauen.html[4] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/defa-needs-up-to-60000-soldiers-to-meet-nato-goals-minister-pistorius/28144524.html[5] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/personell-stark-bundeswehr-ist-mit-60-000-soldaten-zu-stark-gespeltert/27925504.html
The Commission, in the midst of discussions, has been asked to submit a proposal for a regulation on various matters, including the protection of the environment. This comes amidst the political debate surrounding the expansion of NATO's military forces, with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius advocating for an increase of around 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers to counter the threats from Russia and support NATO's goals.
