Germany must have a stronger army than Britain, its chancellor has said, as he committed to spending 5 per cent of annual GDP on defence. In his first major address to the German parliament, Friedrich Merz said: “We must make all the means available that the Bundeswehr needs so that it can become the strongest conventional army in Europe.”

European allies have stressed the urgency of growing and improving their military capabilities to counter Russia.

In his first speech to the Bundestag, the new chancellor emphasized the rearmament of the country and briefly addressed domestic politics, such as immigration, a particularly sensitive issue in the nation.