german Defense Minister Proposes Return to Universal Muster,Cites Deterrence Against Russia
BERLIN - German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced plans to reinstate a complete national muster for all eligible German citizens by mid-2027,a move he asserts will serve as a deterrent to potential adversaries,particularly Russia. The declaration, made in an interview with “Bild am Sonntag,” signals a significant shift in Germany’s national defense strategy.
“We’ll be ready by mid-2027. Then we’ll be able to sample across the board again,” Pistorius emphasized. He added that a return to the muster – a system of assessing young citizens’ fitness for military service – would be noticed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “If we again screen all men of a year and collect the data of all those fit for military service, this will also be noticed in Russia. In other words: that too is a deterrent!”
The proposal comes as debate intensifies over a proposed new military service law, which includes a lottery system to draft citizens if volunteer numbers fall short. A recent survey by Insa found that 60% of Germans oppose the lottery system, with only 21% supporting it. Opposition is also strong within the governing parties,with 59% of CDU/CSU voters and 64% of SPD voters rejecting the draft lottery. Among 18-29 year olds, opposition stands at 50% against and 20% in favor.
pistorius embarked on a five-day trip to Iceland, Canada, and Grate Britain on Sunday to discuss security policy cooperation, armed forces collaboration, and armaments cooperation with NATO allies. He also highlighted the growing threat posed by Russia’s remilitarization of the Arctic, warning that Moscow could target European locations with nuclear-armed submarines.
“Putin is remilitarizing the Arctic. The Russian Northern Fleet is a potential threat to communication and transport routes between the NATO allies,” Pistorius told “Bild am sonntag.” He stressed the importance of a strong maritime security partnership, particularly with Canada, involving joint situation reports, exercises, and armaments projects.
Continued Western support for Ukraine’s defense against russia is also expected to be a key topic during Pistorius’ trip,particularly considering recent reports that US President Donald Trump has paused delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.
