Germany militarises: Moscow accuses, Macron is jealous, Washington is concerned

At the general debate in the Bundestag held on July 9, 2025, Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed his determination to continue military aid to Ukraine and stated Germany’s readiness to take responsibility for leadership in NATO and the European Union.

Emphasising that Europe expects exactly such a step from Berlin, he explained that restoring the country’s defence capability required changes to the Constitution, in particular — easing the “debt brake.” This term refers to a mechanism enshrined in the Constitution that obliges the government to spend budget funds strictly within revenues, maintaining a regime of austerity.

In this context, Merz referred to the constitutional amendment law adopted in March, which allowed the creation of a special infrastructure fund worth 500 billion euros. This fund is intended to finance growing defence expenditures.

Speaking from the Bundestag podium, Merz addressed the opposition — primarily representatives of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party — and stressed that if Berlin had not taken these steps, NATO might already have ceased to exist.

Turning to the foreign policy agenda, the chancellor described Russia’s overnight attacks on Ukrainian cities as unprecedented, calling the Russian authorities a “criminal regime” that seeks to destroy the political freedom of all Europe by force.

In response to AfD’s criticism regarding the increase in military spending and support for Kyiv, Merz stated that there are currently no diplomatic ways to resolve the conflict, and therefore aid to Ukraine is necessary.

According to several analysts, the chancellor’s rhetoric signals a confident positioning of the Federal Republic of Germany as a leading state within NATO and the EU. In this context, his emphasis on the importance of having “reliable partners” — effectively under Germany’s leadership — sounds particularly significant.

However, this line of thinking is not unexpected. In his first speech to the Bundestag in May, shortly after taking office, Merz declared his intention to unite Europe and the United States with a common strategy on Ukraine and advocated strengthening the German army to transform it into the “strongest in Europe.”

Even then, he noted that Europe places special hopes on Germany and promised that his government is ready to assume this responsibility. As Merz stated: “Our goal is Germany and Europe that are so strong together that we will never have to use weapons.” However, he added, it is necessary to be capable of self-defence so that the need to use weapons does not arise.

Thus, there is a clear continuity between the chancellor’s statements in July and May regarding Germany’s leadership ambitions in Europe. This is undoubtedly capable of provoking a new wave of geopolitical jealousy from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Moreover, despite the existence of the Franco-German Council on Defence and Security, established to ensure coordination in the face of strategic challenges, open sources report that next week a mutual defence treaty between Germany and the United Kingdom is expected to be signed. A key point of the agreement will be the confirmation of the obligation to provide mutual assistance in the event of a strategic threat to either party.

Additionally, the conflict between Paris and Berlin over the next-generation fighter jet project, the Future Combat Air System, remains unresolved. The main sticking point is the issue of control over the project. The problem has reached such a scale that Merz and Macron plan to discuss it personally in late July.

Against this backdrop, experts are also questioning how calmly the White House will receive Berlin’s efforts to strengthen European defence capabilities under its own banner. It is likely that Merz is well aware of all the risks and therefore regularly emphasises the special role of the United States. During the debates, he specifically noted that he counts on joint action with Washington to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence.

Earlier, media reports indicated that Germany is considering the purchase of Patriot air defence missile systems from the United States to transfer to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Merz’s statement triggered a sharp reaction in Moscow. The State Duma noted that, under the pretext of the absence of diplomatic solutions regarding Ukraine, Berlin is militarising its economy, hoping to pull it out of crisis by this means.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, commented on the chancellor’s remarks about the possible transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian servicemen. These steps were interpreted as a “poorly disguised desire of the Merz government to participate in strikes deep into Russian territory,” which, according to Moscow, would mean Germany’s direct entry into the conflict.

Earlier, Merz had already allowed for the possibility of supplying long-range missiles to Kyiv: “Of course, it is within the realm of possibility.” Meanwhile, on July 6, Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko publicly urged the chancellor to “finally supply” these missiles to Ukraine.

In this context, observers note that Germany’s positioning as a key link in NATO and a major player in European defence promises not only an increase in political weight but also potential risks. Against this backdrop, attention is focused on the conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction, which is being held in Rome on July 10–11. It is possible that Merz will announce new initiatives there, highlighting Berlin’s geopolitical ambitions.