Germany to shell out over €80bn on weapons next year – media

The country’s military procurement plan focuses more on European-made arms than US supplies, Politico has claimed

The German government intends to earmark nearly €83 billion ($98 billion) on weapons over the course of the next year, Politico reported on Tuesday, citing Berlin’s military procurement plan.

Politico, which claims to have seen the document drawn up for the German parliament’s budget committee, identified the domestic F-127 frigate program as the single most expensive item on the list, which is projected to cost some €26 billion. Some of the other capital-intensive undertakings reportedly include the Eurofighter program, as well as an upgrade of the Taurus cruise missile. At least €196 million will go toward developing the Eurodrone, according to the outlet.

The report claimed that with only around 8% of the total sum lining the pockets of the US military-industrial complex, the purported document marks a break with the trends observed in recent years.

Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Germany has been building up its military, citing the supposed Russian threat. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed as “nonsense” claims that it has hostile intentions toward NATO member states.

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NATO ‘de facto’ at war with Russia – Kremlin

Speaking late last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that his country was “already in a conflict with Russia,” accusing Moscow of attempting to destabilize Germany and other European NATO member states.

Earlier this year, he called for the German military to turn into the “strongest conventional army in Europe,” with plans to increase its ranks from the current 182,000 to 260,000 active duty troops by 2035.

Back in May, EU member states approved a €150 billion debt program named SAFE that facilitates low-interest loans to member states for joint procurement of military equipment.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed in late July that “today’s Europe has completely plunged into a Russophobic frenzy, and its militarization is becoming, in fact, uncontrolled.”

“With their current leaders, modern Germany and the rest of Europe are transforming into a Fourth Reich,” he said.