Germany to Hit NATO Defense Spending Target for the First Time Since 1990s

Germany will hit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s target to spend 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense for the first time since 1992, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on February 14.

German news agency dpa said the government’s allocation for defense spending is €68.6 billion (us$73.4 billion) this year, which would be 2.01 percent of gdp. In 2023, the nation spent only 1.57 percent of gdp on defense.

nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised the “unprecedented” 11 percent overall increase in defense spending within the alliance on Wednesday. This year, 18 nato countries are expected to reach the 2 percent target, which would be another record.

Russia-Ukraine war: The increase in defense spending comes as the war in Ukraine nears the 2-year mark.

Former United States President Donald Trump said at a rally in South Carolina that when he was in office, he told nato members that if they failed to meet the minimum spending level, he would encourage Russia to “do whatever … they want” to that country.

The Trumpet says: Germany and the rest of Europe militarizing is a trend the Trumpet and its forerunner magazine, the Plain Truth, have watched for decades. This is because the Bible prophesies of a militaristic European superpower led by Germany that will soon rise and play a major role in world events.

Learn more: Read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Europe’s Push Toward a Unified Military.”