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Germany doubles defense spending since 2022, chancellor says

Friedrich Merz has repeatedly emphasized the German government’s ambition to make the Bundeswehr the strongest conventional army in Europe

BERLIN, July 7. /TASS/. Berlin has doubled defense spending since 2022, bringing it to 124 billion euros this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said before departing for the NATO summit in Ankara.

"Germany’s defense spending has increased to 124 billion euros in 2026. Since 2022, <...> we have doubled our defense expenditures," he pointed out.

"We are making these efforts not to do someone a favor, but because they are required for our defense and security," Merz added.

The chancellor has repeatedly emphasized the German government’s ambition to make the Bundeswehr the strongest conventional army in Europe.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier that in its militarist frenzy, Germany had forgotten the tragedy resulting from its previous attempts to become "Europe’s main military power".

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