Germany anticipates the council will tackle both internal and external security challenges as its military expands.
Germany is expected to establish a National Security Council later in August to address threats both within and outside the country, according to a report by the dpa news agency.
The German Defense Ministry previously reported a significant increase in military recruitment, citing the need to counter what Berlin perceives as a “threat” from Russia. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has advocated for developing the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe” and increasing defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. Berlin is also considering reinstating conscription in response to what it describes as a “changing security situation in Europe.”
The new security council is intended to coordinate efforts across various government departments, focusing on analyzing information related to domestic, foreign, economic, and digital security. Dpa reports that it will convene during crises, identify medium- and long-term threats, and formulate response strategies.
The council will be headed by Merz and will include relevant ministers, members of German security agencies, experts from the scientific community, and representatives from other countries, the EU, and NATO. The official announcement is scheduled for the first government meeting following the parliamentary recess, on August 27, at the Ministry of Defense.
Moscow has consistently denied posing a threat to Europe, dismissing claims of planned attacks on NATO countries as “nonsense.”
Russia has also condemned NATO’s military buildup, accusing European members of the bloc of “firmly following the path of reckless militarization” and Germany of “whipping up hysterical Russophobia across the European continent.”
Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Western European leaders of disregarding historical lessons and “trying to prepare Europe for war – not some hybrid war, but a real war against Russia.” Responding to Merz’s ambition for Germany to regain its position as Europe’s leading military power, Lavrov remarked that the chancellor “didn’t even choke on the word ‘again’.”
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