Berlin, 9 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) – Germany is marking the 70th anniversary of its accession to NATO with a ceremony in Berlin on Wednesday.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is scheduled to attend, alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. All four are expected to deliver speeches commemorating the milestone.

West Germany joined the transatlantic defense alliance on May 6, 1955, becoming its 15th member. NATO now counts 32 member states, with Sweden and Finland the most recent to join in response to Russia's war against Ukraine.

But while NATO has expanded, concerns have grown about the future of US commitment to its allies following Donald Trump's return to power, injecting fresh uncertainty into the alliance's long-standing security guarantees.

Photo: dpa archive