Germany backs 5% NATO defense spending target

Posted: 19th May 2025

After meeting with his US counterpart at a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Turkey, Germany’s foreign minister said Berlin is willing to “follow” US President’s Trump’s demand for increased defense spending.

… German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Thursday that Berlin accepts in principle the demand from the United States that NATO member states increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.

Speaking on the sidelines of an informal gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Turkey, Wadephul said: “The result is the 5% that President [Donald] Trump has called for, and we will follow him in this respect.”

NATO members are currently committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on military expenditure, a target which around one third of the alliance still doesn’t meet, including Portugal (1.55%), Italy (1.49%), Canada (1.37%), Belgium (1.3%) and Spain (1.28%).

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-backs-5-nato-defense-spending-target/a-72549909