Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[Syt]

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/07/23/berlin-launches-laxer-laws-in-bid-to-hasten-defense-acquisitions/

Berlin launches laxer laws in bid to hasten defense acquisitions

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Germany's coalition government has approved legislation meant to streamline defense-procurement procedures, as officials face the task of translating vast military budget increases of coming years into new capabilities.

The Bundeswehr Procurement Acceleration Act (Bundeswehrbeschaffungsbeschleunigungsgesetz , in German), agreed upon by the ruling coalition on July 23, represents the most significant overhaul of German military procurement since the Cold War. The law extends until 2035 and goes far beyond the temporary measures introduced in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

German minister of defense Boris Pistorius called the draft law a "quantum leap" for the country.

One provision removes the stop-work period that typically follows legal challenges against contract awards. Unsuccessful bidders currently have the power to delay procurement for years through court appeals, a mechanism that defense officials blame for chronic capability gaps.

The reform also allows procurement authorities to initiate contracts without secured financing if it's in the interest of national defense. A disclosure to that effect would be required in tender documents to industry, according to the draft law.

Unlike its 2022 predecessor package, which focused on military equipment and was due to expire in 2026, the new law covers all Bundeswehr needs, including civilian goods and services. Certain urgent contracts will be able to bypass European Union tendering requirements entirely, limiting competition to national or European suppliers.

Three years ago, the law that the new legislation will build on was criticized for weakening institutional guardrails. At the time, Transparency International said in a report that "in its current form, the [law] primarily increases the risk of corruption in military procurements, which are already particularly prone to corruption."

The new legislation permits authorities to restrict tenders to EU and European Economic Area bidders and mandate that procurement originate from European sources.

"Which country we buy from depends on who can quickly offer the required material," Annette Lehnigk-Emden, director-general of the Bundeswehr's procurement agency, told Reuters in a written interview.

Some observers have argued that the new rules will inevitably favor large defense companies, several of which are based in Europe, at the expense of startups trying to break into the military market.

"The temporary suspension of lot splitting and the privileged treatment in case of interoperability favor suppliers that are already firmly anchored in NATO and EU structures," wrote Holger Hofmann of the Cologne-based Oppenhoff legal advisory firm. "In addition, financing risks hit small bidders much harder."

Notably absent from the reforms is any change to the parliamentary approval requirement for defense purchases exceeding €25 million ($29 million), a threshold that requires the budget committee's green light.

The legislation comes as Germany prepares to nearly double defense spending to meet NATO's new spending goals and domestic ambitions, with military expenditure rising from €90 billion ($105.5 billion) in 2024 to €162 billion ($190 billion) by 2029.

Although the Cabinet has agreed on the draft law, it still needs to pass through Germany's parliament before it enters into law. The governing coalition holds a sufficient majority in parliament.

[Sheilbh]

I think this is important and probably right to do first. I remember I think Adam Tooze pointed out that currently Germany spends as much (in actual €s) as the UK or France on their military but gets vastly less bang for their buck in terms of spending to equipped, usable military force. From what I understand Bundeswehr procurement was flagged as a huge part of that.

[HVC]

German is the one language that I think an infinite number of monkeys on typewriters can actually replicate


Also, that 25 million cap seems low for modern day military spending, if you really want to streamline and increase speed efficiency. Although I guess you can just do two 24.5 million dollar consecutive contracts or something.

[Tamas]

I take it the big Russian summer offensive has fizzled out?

[Josquius]

I take it the big Russian summer offensive has fizzled out?

Yeah, seems quite a propeganda failure from the usually very good Ukrainians as from all I've heard it was a very impressive victory for them. They broke a huge number of Russian forces with a very efficient defence.

[DGuller]

I haven't followed it closely, but my impression was that it was mixed for Ukraine, strategically speaking?

[crazy canuck]

The Russians have made gains, but nothing significant.

Those attacks helped Russia make its largest territorial gains of the year in June. According to Deep State, a Ukrainian group that maps the conflict using drone footage and its links with the Ukrainian military, Russia gained more than 214 square miles of Ukrainian territory in June, up from 173 square miles in May.

Putting those gains in context, Russia is capturing less than 0.1 percent of Ukraine's vast territory each month. At that pace, it would take Moscow several years to occupy all of the four Ukrainian regions it declared annexed in 2022.

[Tonitrus]

At that pace, it would take Moscow several years to occupy all of the four Ukrainian regions it declared annexed in 2022.

I get annoyed hearing that "at that pace" line being trotted out all the time.  It is very misleading.

[DGuller]

At that pace, it would take Moscow several years to occupy all of the four Ukrainian regions it declared annexed in 2022.

I get annoyed hearing that "at that pace" line being trotted out all the time.  It is very misleading.

I agree.  It strikes me almost as simplistic as K/D ratios.

[Zoupa]

That pace has been pretty similar for the past 2.5 years though. Russians have shown very limited adaptability to the ground war. They're much more adaptable to drone warfare, unfortunately.

[Tonitrus]

At that pace, it would take Moscow several years to occupy all of the four Ukrainian regions it declared annexed in 2022.

I get annoyed hearing that "at that pace" line being trotted out all the time.  It is very misleading.

I agree.  It strikes me almost as simplistic as K/D ratios.

There is too much history in warfare of two sides grinding against each other until one side suddenly folds up and collapses.

[Tonitrus]

That pace has been pretty similar for the past 2.5 years though. Russians have shown very limited adaptability to the ground war. They're much more adaptable to drone warfare, unfortunately.

My thinking is that one of the better, if imperfect, analogies to Russia/Ukraine is the Union/Confederacy in the US Civil War...

One side has a great advantage in manpower/industry...the other side has an advantage in spirit, determination (even if wrongly places in the U/C example...imperfect as I said), and adaptability.  Russia sucked hard at first...but has been slowly ramping up a war economy (and with North Korea...supplying troops and reportedly as much as 30-40% of Russia's munitions at this point) and a shadow mobilization, and I think are all-in at this point.  Unless the West also goes all-in, Ukraine's collapse is probably almost inevitable.

I think we're at/past a point where just supplying Ukraine with ammunition and equipment will help in the long run. 

[Josquius]

At that pace, it would take Moscow several years to occupy all of the four Ukrainian regions it declared annexed in 2022.

I get annoyed hearing that "at that pace" line being trotted out all the time.  It is very misleading.

I agree.  It strikes me almost as simplistic as K/D ratios.

There is too much history in warfare of two sides grinding against each other until one side suddenly folds up and collapses.

Sure. But emphasising the slow speed of the Russian advance highlights that's what this is.
Pro Russian reporting might claim they're winning as they're taking hundreds of km of Ukrainian territory but.... Not really.

[The Brain]

[mongers]

That pace has been pretty similar for the past 2.5 years though. Russians have shown very limited adaptability to the ground war. They're much more adaptable to drone warfare, unfortunately.

My thinking is that one of the better, if imperfect, analogies to Russia/Ukraine is the Union/Confederacy in the US Civil War...

One side has a great advantage in manpower/industry...the other side has an advantage in spirit, determination (even if wrongly places in the U/C example...imperfect as I said), and adaptability.  Russia sucked hard at first...but has been slowly ramping up a war economy (and with North Korea...supplying troops and reportedly as much as 30-40% of Russia's munitions at this point) and a shadow mobilization, and I think are all-in at this point.  Unless the West also goes all-in, Ukraine's collapse is probably almost inevitable.

I think we're at/past a point where just supplying Ukraine with ammunition and equipment will help in the long run.

Thanks, that's an interesting take on it and somewhat depressing.