Germany's New Military Strategy: Claim to Lead, Hesitation to Act (warontherocks.com)

• Germany published first military strategy in late April 2026.
• Author criticizes lack of concrete targets and operationalization.
• Timeline: defense capable by 2029, full readiness by 2039.
• Russian threat peak expected in 2026–2028, not later.
• Strategy serves as foreign policy signal for NATO summit in Ankara.

"Germany published its first-ever comprehensive military strategy in late April 2026. Author and Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter criticizes the document as overly analytical and lacking concrete force-building targets. The strategy sets a timeline of defensive capability by 2029 and full readiness by 2039, while the peak Russian threat is expected in 2026–2028. It fails to adequately address technological and economic dimensions of modern warfare and does not mandate structural reforms of the Bundeswehr. The strategy is primarily intended as a foreign policy signal for the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara."