The Bundeswehr (Germany Armed Forces) recently said that the number of new recruits from January to the end of July 2025 has increased by 28% compared to the same period last year.
Specific figures were not disclosed, the Bundeswehr only said that more than 13,700 people have joined forces including the army, air force, navy and other militia.
German officials said that this was the strongest increase in many years, especially when compared to the second quarter of 2024. The move was described by Berlin as a response to threats from outside, including Russia.
Information about the number of people joining the army was released not long after the German government announced that it would re-apply the mandatory military service regime - which was abolished from 2011 - in 2026 if the number of volunteers was not enough to fill personnel positions for national defense.
Previously, with the number of enlisted men down 7% in 2023, some German politicians said the goal of reaching 260,000 enlisted soldiers by 2035 was unrealistic. To date, the Bundeswehr has about 182,000 active soldiers and 81,000 civilian personnel
Despite observers' acceptance, Prime Minister Friedrich Merz is still committed to building "the strongest regular army in Europe" and increasing defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029.
For its part, Russia has repeatedly criticized NATO, including Germany, for continuously strengthening its defense capabilities. They also denied speculation that Russia was planning to attack NATO countries.
In June, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned NATO's military increase, saying that the bloc's European members "determined to follow the reckless path of industrialization".
Mr. Peskov accused Germany of stirring up "ts worry about Russia" across the continent, while affirming that "this is clearly not for the benefit of the European people".
