Germany Backs NATO's 5% Spending Goal, Seeking Bigger Leadership Role
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · May 21
Germany Backs NATO's 5% Spending Goal, Seeking Bigger Leadership Role
8 articles · Updated · DW (English) · May 21
Johann Wadephul said Germany is ready to take greater leadership in NATO and will push a new burden-sharing model that better reflects Europe’s economic and military weight.
The German foreign minister said Berlin wants to meet NATO’s 5% target as quickly as possible, combining 3.5% of GDP for defense with 1.5% for related spending by 2035.
In Helsingborg, Wadephul also promised concrete proposals to sustain support for Ukraine, including ways NATO could draw on Ukraine’s defense-industry capabilities.
Mark Rutte said support for Kyiv remains uneven across the alliance, praising countries including Germany, Sweden and Canada while warning many members still are not spending enough.
The ministers’ meeting will also address the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz blockade, with Marco Rubio arriving after criticizing NATO allies for refusing to back Washington’s campaign.
Can Europe's new defense spending create true strategic autonomy from an unpredictable United States?
As US alliances falter over Ukraine and Iran, is a new multipolar world order emerging by default?
With the Strait of Hormuz closed, which nations are most vulnerable to the historic global energy crisis?
Germany’s Historic 5% NATO Defense Commitment: Challenges, Geopolitical Drivers, and the Future of European Security
Overview
Germany has made a historic commitment to NATO's new 5% defense spending target, a decision that emerged from the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague. This ambitious goal marks a pivotal shift in Germany's defense policy and places significant demands on its financial and strategic planning. The agreement is seen as just the beginning of a long-term effort, highlighting the urgent need for innovation and swift action among NATO members. However, Germany is already struggling to meet its own lower defense spending targets, underscoring the major challenges it faces in aligning national goals with NATO's heightened expectations.