Next steps in Berlin's military buildup

Name: Next steps in Berlin's military buildup
Uploaded: 2025-02-28T10:26:55.901Z
Duration: 47 min 39 s
Description: Germany’s incoming leaders are planning to dramatically ramp up military spending after signs the Trump administration could definitively pivot away from European defense. DW breaks down the next steps for likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz: Procuring drones, satellites and more high-tech gear. Recruiting tens of thousands of troops. And trying to work out a European nuclear deterrent.

47:39

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Nina Haase

Germany’s incoming leaders are planning to dramatically ramp up military spending after signs the Trump administration could definitively pivot away from European defense. DW breaks down the next steps for likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz: Procuring drones, satellites and more high-tech gear. Recruiting tens of thousands of troops. And trying to work out a European nuclear deterrent.

Failure could leave Europe prone to intimidation or even domination by Russia. In this edition of Berlin Briefing, Ulrike Franke of the ECFR joins DW’s Richard Walker, Nina Haase and Michaela Küfner.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

1:39 Transatlantic rift

4:00 “Strategic enablers”

9:16 Troop numbers

12:45 Defense industry

17:51 “Nuclear sharing”

24:10 Funding options

31:17 “Unbelievably frustrating”

34:33 Ukraine

41:25 A new national mission?

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