Germany eyes higher defense spending amid global tensions
Germany should, in the future, spend "significantly more than 2 percent" of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, stated German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in an article for the newspaper "Welt am Sonntag".
Currently, "for the first time in decades," Germany is spending 2 percent of its GDP on defense, "but it is also clear that it is not enough," the minister added.
Therefore, "a conversation about sustainable financing and adjusting the debt brake is necessary," Pistorius wrote.
He also emphasized that "further significant support for Ukraine is of crucial importance."
Only when Ukraine is able to defend its sovereignty can we pave the way for fair negotiations and peace, declared the head of the defense ministry.
According to the German minister, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is firmly implementing this course. "He initiated a paradigm shift in German security and defense policy, which we have jointly implemented over the past three years," Pistorius stated.
Defense spending of at least 2 percent of GDP has been a NATO goal for years. However, Germany has fallen short of this mark for many years. It was only under the influence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022, that these expenditures have increased significantly.
The regular German government budget for defense is just under 55 billion dollars this year, with an additional 21 billion dollars for this purpose coming from a special Bundeswehr fund in 2024, the portal tagesschau reminded.
