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German Army Chief Calls for 260,000 Troops to Meet NATO Targets and Deter Russian Threat

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Maryna_kulakova
Maryna Kulakova
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German Army Chief Calls for 260,000 Troops to Meet NATO Targets and Deter Russian Threat
An honorary formation has lined up for the first roll call and pledge of the Bundeswehr's Home Guard Regiment 5 in the courtyard of Ehrenstein Castle. (Source: Getty Images)

André Wüstner, head of the German Bundeswehr Association, believes that increasing the army's size from its current level of around 180,000 to 260,000 soldiers is essential to meet NATO's demands and address the threat from Russia.

In an interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland on May 30, Wüstner emphasized that, as a precautionary measure for the new military service law, mandatory conscription should be introduced as part of the expansion plan.

“The Bundeswehr’s size must definitely exceed 203,300 soldiers, which was the target number set for 2025 before the pandemic,” he said.

Wüstner explained that the future size of the army would depend on NATO’s "force and capability goals" and Germany's ability to shoulder this burden.

“However, I anticipate that depending on the decisions made at the NATO summit, we will need an additional 40,000 to 60,000 soldiers. This means active forces should gradually grow to 260,000 soldiers,” he noted.

According to Wüstner, a combat-ready reserve should be formed from this expanded force to reach a target strength of 460,000 soldiers.

Earlier, it was announced that NATO reportedly plans to request that Germany contribute seven additional brigades, totaling about 40,000 troops, to bolster the alliance’s defense, according to three sources cited by Reuters on May 29.

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