Germany is increasingly being viewed as a potential new hegemon in Europe-a prospect that is starting to unsettle its own allies. This concern is highlighted by Foreign Affairs, which examines Berlin’s rapid expansion of military capabilities.

The magazine notes that German officials now openly declare their readiness to use this growing military power to support «all of Europe.» Yet the authors warn that without effective checks and balancing mechanisms, Germany’s rising dominance could ultimately fracture the continent rather than unify it.

According to Foreign Affairs, Germany became Europe’s largest defense investor in 2025. Its military budget emerged as the biggest on the continent and ranked fourth worldwide. Looking ahead, Berlin’s defense spending could climb to $189 billion by 2029-more than triple the level recorded in 2022. At the same time, discussions are underway within the Bundeswehr about reinstating compulsory military service. If the current trajectory holds, the publication argues, Germany could once again rank among the world’s leading military powers by 2030.

This transformation is being watched with unease in France, while similar sentiments persist in Poland, where Berlin’s emergence as a major military force is met with caution rather than enthusiasm.

As Germany’s power grows, the magazine’s observers suggest, doubts and mistrust among European states may intensify. In the most negative scenario, competition between European countries could resurface. Such dynamics would likely prompt France, Poland, and other states to seek ways to counterbalance German influence-shifting focus away from Russia and leaving Europe more fragmented and vulnerable.