Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Euronews
Euronews
Johanna Urbancik

'Europe First': Berlin turns to European defence industry, reducing US dependence

Germany plans to spend up to €83 billion on European-made weapons and reduce dependence on US defence systems as Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushes to build Europe's "strongest conventional armed force" amid doubts about Washington's reliability under Donald Trump.

According to reports, the German government plans 154 major defence procurements between September 2025 and December 2026, with only 8% from US suppliers compared to the previously heavy reliance on US systems.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.