With billions in investments and a new strategic positioning, Germany takes on European military leadership in response to the growing Russian threat
Few countries have as many demands on them as Germany. Most of the time, they are not attended. With his huge wave of spending, Berlin has just exceeded all expectations. It seems a crucial moment for Europe. The announcement made yesterday by the future Chancellor Friedrich Merz of hundreds of billions of euros to the defense is a turning point not only to Germany, but for the whole continent, which faces the aggression of Russia – and a vacuum where before was the transatlantic alliance.
Germany is already NATO’s biggest speaker in terms of dollars after the US. However, he remained visibly quiet during the recent European diplomatic mobilization to support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after his treatment in the hands of Donald Trump.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is leaving, and Merz has not taken over yet. However, together, their parties agreed to revoke years of excessive tax prudence, altering the Constitution to exempt expenses with defense and security.
They also plan to launch an € 500 billion infrastructure fund to invest in areas such as transportation and power grids.
If you get approval in Bundestag, this will put Germany in a position to finally reach its potential as the real heavyweight in Europe in economic, political and security terms.
Trump’s approach to Europe in general, and Ukraine in particular, seems to have been the point of inflection. The US President’s decision to retain military aid to Kiev showed how deep the transatlantic division is and demanded action in Merz’s words.
Free from self -imposed tax restrictions, Germany has the financial power and some of Europe’s most skilled defense contractors, which can make a difference, although not overnight.
Poland Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski once said he feared the power of Germany than German inaction.
The sleeping giant now woke up. And all of Europe is observing what he will choose to do from here.
Necessary global readings
Trump warned Americans in his speech to Congress about economic discomfort that will come to the US economy because his plan to collect “trillions and trilions” in revenue through the biggest increases in tariffs in a century and rebalance trade that he called unjust. Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick said a path to tariff relief on Mexican and Canadian goods covered by the North America Free-Trade Agreement can be announced today.
Leaders from Arab countries endorsed the Gaza do Egypt reconstruction plan, which “preserves the right of the Palestinian people to rebuild their homeland and ensures that it remains in their land,” announced President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in a dome yesterday, in a movement to counter Trump’s controversial proposals. Israel said he is giving Hamas “a few days” to rethink the terms of a new ceasefire in Gaza, increasing the prospect of additional pressure tactics or a resumption of war.
Russia has agreed to assist Trump administration in communicating with Iran on issues that include the Islamic Nuclear Program and its support for anti-eu regional proxies, sources said. Trump conveyed this interest to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call in February, and high US and Russia officials discussed the issue in Saudi Arabia conversations days later.
Trump said he received Zelenskiy’s “important letter” seeking to soften the conflict at a contentious meeting in the Oval Hall, but refrained from suspending US breaks in military aid or announcing a revived mineral agreement. In a social networking post, Zelenskiy expressed regret about how the meeting with Trump went through and said he was ready to sign the deal.
Opposition deputies launched smoke grenades at the National Assembly of Serbia, interrupting a session that would confirm the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and a debate on laws designed to relieve months of anti-government protests. At least three deputies were injured in the fight, according to Parliament President Ana Brnabić, ally of President Aleksandar Vučić, who called the parliamentarians of the opposition “terrorist gang.”
The Trump administration is giving Chevron until April 3 to stop oil production in Venezuela, dispreting a heavy blow to President Nicolás Maduro’s autocratic regime.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has offered the US exclusive access to Critical Minerals and Infrastructure Projects in exchange for security assistance while facing a rebellion supported by neighboring Rwanda.
Tunisia has placed dozens of people on a trial for betrayal, including prominent President Kais Saied, intensifying unprecedented repression that attracted United Nations criticism.
Trump called for the end of a $ 52 billion subsidy program for semiconductors that boosted more than $ 400 billion in investments from companies such as TSMC and Intel. He called the chips and science law of a “horrible, horrible thing” and begged the mayor Mike Johnson to end the legislation. Vice President Jd Vance, whose home state, Ohio, gained a huge Intel project thanks to the legislation, rose to show his support for his revocation.
And finally
California governor Gavin Newsom ordered nearly 100,000 state employees to return to their offices four days a week from July. The announcement is one of the highest state terms since the Covid-19 pandemic has revolutionized work habits. He follows a White House directive to bring back federal employees full time, while large companies such as Salesforce and JPMorgan Chase took similar measures for the return of employees.
With information from Bloomberg*
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/03/05/o-gigante-alemao-acorda-e-impoe-nova-era-militar/
