Bangladesh, June 30 -- The 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague marked a critical juncture for the Western alliance and, more significantly, for Germanys evolving role in Europes security architecture. Among the key takeaways was the adoption of a new target: each member state should allocate 5 percent of its GDP to defense spending by 2035. For many countries, this is a bold leap. For Germany, it is nothing short of historic.

After decades of military restraint rooted in the trauma of two world wars, Germany is now embracing rearmament on a scale unseen since 1945. Under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the country is not merely boosting its defense budget-it is reshaping its national identity, assuming a more assertive stance within NATO, and prepa...