Germany set to vote on historic increase in defence spending

German MPs could pave the way for huge investments to defend Europe against a threatening Russia.

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Germany's Parliament, the Bundestag, is voting on whether to take the brakes off defence spending. This could pave the way for a massive uplift in military investment just as Russia makes gains in Ukraine and Washington signals that Europe can no longer rely on US protection.

"This vote in the Bundestag is absolutely crucial," says Prof Monika Schnitzer, who chairs Germany's Council of Economic Experts.

"After the Munich Security Conference, then the Trump-Zelensky row, Europe got a wake-up call. For the first time Europeans may not be able to rely on Washington. A lot of people had sleepless nights after that."

"The outlook for European defence spending hinges on developments in Germany, as the holder of the region's largest defence budget," agrees Dr Fenella McGerty, senior fellow for defence economics at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg102564g2o

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