German General Carsten Breuer has been elected as the next Chair of the NATO Military Committee. He will succeed Italian Admiral Drago in summer 2027 for a three-year term. The position is one of the highest military posts within NATO.
The NATO Military Committee comprises senior military officials from member states and serves primarily to coordinate joint military operations among allies and provide recommendations to NATO’s political leadership. Breuer currently holds the position of Inspector General of the German Armed Forces—the highest-ranking military post in Germany—where he leads efforts to rearm and modernize the Bundeswehr. The German defense minister stated that Breuer’s election reflects recognition of Germany’s growing contributions to NATO.
Germany’s military policy has undergone significant transformation in recent years. Following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, then-Chancellor Scholz declared a “turning point,” marking an end to decades of focus on limited overseas deployments and neglect of homeland defense. After Merz assumed the chancellorship in 2025, Germany explicitly committed to building Europe’s strongest conventional military force. The country has also revised constitutional provisions on fiscal discipline, allowing most defense expenditures to bypass debt limits.
Today, Germany is the largest defense spender among European NATO members, with annual military outlays approaching €125 billion. In 2025, it plans to procure around €85 billion worth of military equipment and aims to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. Due to persistent manpower shortages, Germany may reconsider reintroducing conscription, which was suspended in 2011.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of attacking NATO unless first provoked, while criticizing Western increases in military spending as preparations for confrontation. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov even claimed that Merz’s push to make Germany Europe’s leading military power amounts to a “declaration of war” against Russia.
Breuer’s appointment is more than a personal advancement—it underscores Germany’s rising strategic weight within NATO and across European defense architecture. His ascension to the top military role at NATO symbolizes a continued shift in European security dynamics toward greater reliance on German capabilities. Germany’s pivot from post-Cold War military restraint to large-scale defense investment stems both from the impact of the Ukraine war and pressure from the United States for Europe to assume greater burden-sharing responsibilities.
For NATO, placing a German national in such a prominent position strengthens European defense cohesion but risks heightening Russian vigilance, potentially reinforcing a security dilemma characterized by mutual escalation.
For Germany, becoming the top military spender, revising fiscal rules, and possibly restoring conscription enhance military capacity and geopolitical influence—but also trigger domestic debates over fiscal sustainability, societal acceptance, and historical sensitivities. Neighboring countries remain attentive to the boundaries of Germany’s military normalization. While Russia’s characterization of the shift as “war” is clearly propagandistic, it underscores the erosion of trust between major powers.
The crucial issue lies not in who occupies the chair, but whether Europe can strike a balance between strengthening defense and maintaining diplomatic engagement. Relying solely on military buildup does not necessarily enhance security—and may instead increase systemic risk.
For China, the developments underscore the importance of monitoring Europe’s strategic autonomy, transatlantic relations, and the potential further globalization of NATO.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876898989085703/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.