Germany has published its first standalone military strategy, "Verantwortung für Europa" (Responsibility for Europe), on April 22, 2026, marking a significant shift after 71 years without such a document. This strategy, authored in the Bundeswehr's own voice, aims to position Germany as the strongest conventional army in Europe by 2039, with ambitious targets of 260,000 active troops and 200,000 reservists by 2035. The move is influenced by the 2026 US National Defense Strategy, which emphasizes European allies taking primary responsibility for conventional defense. Key commitments include the permanent stationing of Panzerbrigade 45 in Lithuania by 2027, signifying a new era of German military planning and leadership on the continent, with a declared threat horizon of a potential large-scale Russian attack on NATO territory from 2029.