Germany Commits to Strengthening Military as Europe's Defense Backbone

Germany plans to accelerate reforms of its military bureaucracy and make the military the backbone of Europe's defense, according to new defense guidelines presented by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. The revamp aims to enhance the military's capability to defend Germany and its allies, with a focus on being ready for war in all areas. The document highlights Russia as the main long-term threat to peace and security and calls for speeding up procurement of much-needed equipment. Germany has set up a special fund for weapon purchases and aims to meet NATO's defense spending target of 2% of GDP by 2024.