**Germany’s Military Rebirth is Europe‘s Best Bet Against Putin**
When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he knew that he was upending Europe’s security order. But this was more of a tactical gambit than a calculated strategy, and he could not have predicted what would follow.
**Europe Still Has a Chance to Turn Things Around**
For now, Putin seems to hold all the cards. The transatlantic relationship is fracturing, as Trump’s isolationist administration criticizes its European allies and casts doubt on his commitment to NATO. Worse, Trump appears to be aligning the United States with Russia in the Ukraine war.
**But Europe Is Not Giving Up**
Europe still has a chance to turn things around. Already, it is abandoning its post-Cold War “end of history” mindset, according to which international law reigned supreme, European militaries were for keeping peace, not fighting wars, and the U.S. could be counted on to safeguard Europe’s security.
**Germany’s Military Rebirth**
Finland and Sweden were perhaps the first to realize that “history is back,” and their accession to NATO — in 2023 and 2024, respectively — provided a major boost to the Alliance’s strength. Now, Germany is set to undergo its own military rebirth under the leadership of Merz.
**A True Break from Germany’s Postwar Past**
Merz is overseeing a true break from Germany’s postwar past — a change that will require the country to confront the most daunting, destructive ghosts of its history. For starters, there is the fiscal revolution. Germany’s frugality has been a source of considerable tension in the EU.
**A New Era for European Leadership**
More broadly, Merz appears prepared to embrace European leadership. Despite being the EU’s largest economy, Germany has long been reluctant to assume a genuine leadership role in Europe, particularly in the security domain.
**What’s Next?**
To avoid a repeat of the Munich Agreement of 1938 — when France and Britain forced Czechoslovakia to cede territory to Hitler, setting the stage for World War II — Europe must step up quickly to improve Ukraine’s position on the battlefield and, thus, at the negotiating table.
**A Credible Nuclear Umbrella**
Once a peace agreement is reached, Europe will have to act as its guarantor — and that means delivering effective deterrence against Russian aggression. A credible nuclear umbrella is essential.