Scholz addresses criticism of German defence spending

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) is shown various combat exercises during his visit to the mountain infantry brigade on the Reiteralpe | Photo: Peter Kneffel/dpa

Munich (dpa) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his government’s military spending plans against criticism during a visit with troops on Monday in the south of the country.

Scholz pointed to a large special fund to modernize Germany’s military, known as the Bundeswehr, that was created in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The attack put renewed attention on the state of many European defence forces.

“In 2017, we still spent EUR 37 billion (USD 42 billion) on defence. Now, with the use of the special fund, the Bundeswehr‘s budget is EUR 75 billion. That’s more or less a doubling,” Scholz said during a visit to an elite mountain infantry brigade at a high-altitude training ground near the town of Bad Reichenhall on the Austrian border.

Scholz’s coalition has faced criticism over the small increase in the 2025 budget for defence – including from the Bundeswehr Association, which advocates for the interests of those serving in the military.

Scholz emphasised, however, that the defence budget will continue to rise in the coming years: “In 2028, the Bundeswehr budget alone will amount to EUR 80 billion because we will no longer be able to fall back on the special fund. With this long-term perspective, the Bundeswehr can also position itself very differently than in the past.”

The chancellor said that kind of funding makes it possible to prepare orders and plans that are geared towards the coming decade.

“This is actually the big qualitative difference, because we can now ensure that we don’t have to procure in the short term, but can enter into long-term agreements,” he said.

During the visit, Scholz also was shown how the soldiers prepare for operations and possible combat in the mountains at altitudes of around 1,700 metres.