The Bundestag's Commissioner for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), Henning Otte (CDU), has warned that the Bundeswehr could be overstretched if tasked with a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Speaking to Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday, Otte stressed that “one thing must not happen: taking on more assignments without strengthening the personnel.”
If Germany were to contribute a brigade of around 5,000 soldiers to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, Otte said it would be a massive challenge for the Bundeswehr emphasizing that the military is still far from reaching its current goal of 260,000 active troops. “We are still a long way from that target, and now we are already talking about new missions,” he said. “Personnel expansion must come first; one thing has to be achieved before the other.”
Otte also expressed doubts about whether the proposed voluntary military service model, expected to be approved by the Cabinet next week, would be sufficient to increase troop numbers. He suggested that mandatory elements might eventually be necessary. “I expect that compulsory measures can gradually be introduced,” he said, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to recruitment.
In his view, compulsory conscription of all young men must be part of the military service model. Under the draft legislation from the Ministry of Defense, all young men and women will receive a questionnaire starting next year. Men are required to complete it, while women can do so voluntarily. Those deemed suitable will be invited for formal assessments. According to the draft, mandatory evaluations for all 18-year-old men would not take effect until 2028.
The discussion around security guarantees for Ukraine has gained momentum following the Washington summit meetings on Monday, which focused on the country’s peace process. European armies, including the Bundeswehr, could be called upon to help enforce a peace settlement by providing soldiers on the ground in Ukraine.
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