The Russian war in Ukraine has very belatedly sent one lead NATO country into a defense spending spree. Before the Feb.24 invasion, Germany wouldn't so much as let its weapons be transferred to Kiev via allies - wanting to present a sense of neutrality with Moscow - but now with all prior reluctance apparently abandoned, Berlin is poised to rapidly beef up its advanced fighter jet capability: "Germany plans to buy up to 35 US-made F-35 fighter jets and 15 Eurofighter jets, a parliamentary source said Monday, as part of a major push to modernize the armed forces in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine," Bloomberg reports Monday.

The Lockheed-produced jets look to be acquired in the "dozens" - taking up a big chunk of Germany's proposed defense budget which will be north of 50 billion euros this year, acknowledged as a "record high". This as Germany has agreed to boost defense spending above 2% of gross domestic product - something which NATO had previously been frequently lectured on by Trump. 

In making the announcement, Berlin officials specifically cited the need for the necessary level of deterrence against Russia and Vladimir Putin. AFP recalls, "In a landmark speech late last month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged to invest an extra 100 billion euros ($112 billion) in the nation's chronically underfunded Bundeswehr armed forces."

The report underscores that "The spending boost marks a major reversal for Europe's top economy, upending its policy of keeping a low military profile in part out of guilt over World War II."

Germany's air force commander Ingo Gerhartz said: "There can be only one answer to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggression," He added: "Unity in NATO and a credible deterrent. This in particular means there is no alternative but to choose the F-35."