Germany plans six-month army service

(MENAFN) Germany is preparing to implement a six-month voluntary military service program aimed at doubling the country’s pool of reservists, Reuters reported on Friday, citing government sources.

The initiative comes amid Berlin’s continued efforts to strengthen its armed forces in response to what it perceives as a threat from Russia following the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in early 2022. Moscow has repeatedly rejected these claims, calling them unfounded attempts by Western leaders to justify increased defense spending.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s most powerful military, while Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is pushing for a significant increase in the defense budget—potentially up to €90 billion ($102 billion) by 2028.

According to Reuters, the government hopes that the new program will help raise the number of reservists from the current 100,000 to 200,000. If the voluntary initiative fails to produce the desired results, Berlin may reconsider reintroducing mandatory conscription, which was suspended in 2011.

Volunteers would undergo basic training focused on simple tasks such as guard duty and would have opportunities to gain qualifications like truck or tank driving licenses. Authorities also hope some participants will choose to pursue full-time military careers.

Pistorius is aiming to have the legislation approved by the end of August, allowing the first recruits to begin their training in May 2026.

The defense minister also emphasized that to meet NATO requirements, the Bundeswehr must expand its active-duty forces from 180,000 to 260,000 personnel. This goal was reiterated ahead of a recent NATO summit, where member states agreed to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.

Russia has criticized Germany’s military buildup and urged Western nations to focus on diplomatic efforts rather than preparing for conflict with Moscow.

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