Germany to boost military with new voluntary service bill

Amid rising concerns over the threat from Russia and in response to new NATO obligations, the German government is aiming to reverse the Bundeswehr’s long-standing recruitment shortfall. On Wednesday, the Cabinet approved an ambitious plan to expand the number of active-duty soldiers from the current 183,000 to 260,000 by the early 2030s. As part of this broader military buildup, officials are also seeking to double the number of reservists to 200,000 over the same period. Antonia Kerrigan reports.