(MENAFN) Germany is set to form a National Security Council later this month to tackle growing internal and external security threats, according to a report by a news agency. This move follows the Defense Ministry’s announcement of the sharpest surge in military recruitment in years, aimed at countering what Berlin labels a “threat” from Russia.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged for transforming the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe” and plans to boost military spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. Berlin is also weighing the reintroduction of conscription, citing a “changing security situation in Europe.”

The newly established council will coordinate multiple departments, focusing on comprehensive analysis of domestic, foreign, economic, and digital security issues. It is designed to convene during crises, pinpoint medium- and long-term threats, and devise strategies for effective response, as detailed by the news agency.

Merz will chair the council, which will include key ministers, security agency officials, scientific experts, and representatives from other nations, the EU, and NATO. The official announcement is slated for the first government meeting after the parliamentary recess on August 27 at the Ministry of Defense.

Meanwhile, Moscow continues to reject allegations of posing a threat to Europe, calling suggestions of a Russian attack on NATO members “nonsense.” Russia has condemned NATO’s military expansion, accusing European members of “firmly following the path of reckless militarization” and Germany of “whipping up hysterical Russophobia across the European continent.”

Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Western European leaders for ignoring historical lessons, stating they are “trying to prepare Europe for war – not some hybrid war, but a real war against Russia.” Responding to Merz’s push for Germany to reclaim its status as Europe’s leading military power, Lavrov remarked that the chancellor “didn’t even choke on the word ‘again’.”

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