Germany Invests €83 Billion in European Armament

For decades, Germany has been dependent on the U.S. when it comes to security; however, that era is now over as Berlin plans to invest up to €83 billion in European armament and gradually reduce its reliance on American defense systems, reports Euronews.

This is a strategic pivot that Chancellor Friedrich Merz aims to create the ‘strongest conventional armed force in Europe’ at a time when doubts about Washington’s reliability under President Donald Trump are increasing. According to plans, the German government intends to award 154 major defense contracts from September 2025 to December 2026, with only eight percent allocated to American manufacturers, marking a drastic decline from the previous practice of strong reliance on American systems.

The change in course followed Trump’s call for NATO allies to increase defense spending to as much as 5 percent of GDP while purchasing more American weapons. In response, Berlin has chosen the ‘Buy European’ strategy.

A Sudden Increase in American Exports and European Dependence

Europe has significantly increased its purchase of American armament in recent years. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), arms imports from the U.S. to Europe, including deliveries to Ukraine, have more than tripled during the period from 2020 to 2024 compared to the previous five years.

For the first time in two decades, the largest share of American arms exports went to Europe, rising from 13 percent (2015–2019) to 35 percent (2020–2024). During the same period, NATO member states in Europe doubled their total imports, with two-thirds coming from the U.S. Germany recorded a particularly dramatic increase. Arms imports rose by as much as 334 percent, with 70 percent coming from the U.S.

At the same time, the U.S. has further solidified its global dominance. American arms exports increased by 21 percent between the two five-year periods, and its share of the global arms trade rose from 35 to 43 percent.

No Alternative

American expert Dr. Josef Braml emphasizes that this change should not be interpreted as a misjudgment of cause and effect.

– The reason is that Trump has made it clear that America can no longer be relied upon. If that is no longer certain, it makes no sense to pay a tribute for protection that we do not receive – Braml told Euronews.

That ‘tribute’ European states paid by purchasing American systems, thereby becoming dependent on Washington. Among them is the Patriot air defense system, and Germany currently possesses six such systems. The Patriot is considered one of the most modern air defense systems in the world, but the U.S. government recently temporarily halted its export as the Pentagon deems it insufficient for its own needs. For certain key systems, a European alternative does not yet exist. This particularly applies to the F-35 fighter jets.

Additionally, Christophe Gomart, former head of the French military intelligence service and now a member of the European Parliament, this year presented a theory about the so-called ‘kill switch.’ According to his claims, the U.S. incorporates a system in the F-35 that could block flight if the Pentagon does not approve the mission plan. The German Ministry of Defense dismissed such claims.

– There is no way to simply turn off the F-35 remotely – they stated to the public broadcaster ARD.

Despite these discussions, Germany remains committed to ordering the F-35 because, as stated by a spokesperson for the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), ‘the fifth generation of fighter jets does not yet exist in Europe. Thanks to the stealth technology, the F-35 is nearly invisible, and if the armed forces require such capabilities, we can only purchase from the U.S.’

A Multipolar World and the End of Pax Americana

Pieter Wezeman, a researcher at SIPRI and co-author of a study on European arms imports, emphasizes that NATO allies in Europe are already taking steps to strengthen their own industry.

– Steps are being taken, but transatlantic relations in the defense business have deep roots – says Wezeman.

Indeed, the foundations of the security and economic partnership between Germany and the U.S. were laid by the Marshall Plan and NATO after World War II. Although Berlin has sought to maintain relations even after Trump took office, his new course is now in clear discord with American expectations. Trump began his second term with the ‘America First’ program, which included in the budget the so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ a plan that allocates around $150 billion in mandatory funds for the Department of Defense under the slogan ‘Peace through Strength.’

As Braml warns, the American arms industry ensures complete self-sufficiency, especially regarding spare parts and software solutions. ‘Sovereignty means you can protect yourself. If that is not the case, then there is room for blackmail,’ he asserts.

On his first official visit to the White House, Chancellor Merz admitted: ‘Whether we like it or not, we will remain dependent on the United States for a long time.’

The U.S. Remains a Technological Leader

Despite Berlin’s and the EU’s ambitions, the technological gap remains evident. According to a study by the German Institute for Economic Research (IW), American companies registered nearly 18,000 patents in the field of defense technologies between 2015 and 2021. All EU member states combined had less than 12,000, with Germany ranking second behind France with around 4,300 patents. This only confirms that dependence on American technology is still deeply rooted.

– The security we once knew no longer exists. Pax Americana is dead – concluded Braml.