US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press prior to the NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels. -/NATO/dpa
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said he sees positive developments in Germany’s defence spending and praised NATO allies for increasing their military budgets.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in the US state of California, Hegseth welcomed NATO’s agreement to significantly boost defence expenditures. "Model allies that step up like Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltics and others will receive our special favor," he said.
He added that the United States expects similar contributions from othe…
US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press prior to the NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels. -/NATO/dpa
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said he sees positive developments in Germany’s defence spending and praised NATO allies for increasing their military budgets.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in the US state of California, Hegseth welcomed NATO’s agreement to significantly boost defence expenditures. "Model allies that step up like Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltics and others will receive our special favor," he said.
He added that the United States expects similar contributions from other allies, and those who fail to meet their obligations could face consequences.
The NATO agreement in June, influenced by Russia’s war against Ukraine and pressure from US President Donald Trump, sets a goal of member states spending at least 3.5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, plus an additional 1.5% on defence-related projects such as infrastructure.
By 2035, spending is expected to reach 5% of GDP — the highest level since the Cold War. Germany aims to raise its defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029.
© Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH