Germany Establishes New National Security Council to Strengthen Defense and Strategic Response
Germany has taken a significant step forward in its national security policy by establishing a new strategic body—the National Security Council—announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz in collaboration with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
This newly created institution aims to enhance the strategic coordination and swift reaction capabilities to various threats, ranging from external military challenges to internal crises requiring prompt decision-making.
The council combines the functions of the previous Federal Security Council, which managed arms export and defense policies, and the Security Cabinet, responsible for crisis decisions.
The leadership emphasizes that integrating these functions into a unified body will improve the professionalism and efficiency of Germany’s security architecture.
Chancellor Merz stated that the primary goal of the council is to enable faster, more flexible decision-making in response to threats from Russia and other countries.
Strengthening infrastructure, better coordination, and increasing societal resilience are key priorities.
Additionally, Germany and Canada have agreed to deepen cooperation in defense and critical minerals sectors, vital for maintaining strategic independence.
The council’s main tasks will include long-term threat prediction, scenario development, response planning, and readiness exercises.
Comprising the Chancellor and nine government ministers, the council will involve additional experts and officials from security agencies, intelligence services, federal states, NATO, and the EU when necessary.
Jakob Schrött, the head of the Chancellor’s Office, will oversee its operations.
During his visit to Kyiv, Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to joining European partners in security guarantees for Ukraine, although negotiations are still in early stages.