Germany too Surpass NATO Defense Spending Goals by 2029: A major Shift in European Security
BERLIN – In a dramatic move signaling a significant hardening of its defense posture, Germany is poised to accelerate its military spending, aiming to reach 3.5% of its GDP by 2029 – a full six years before the newly established NATO benchmark of 2035. This represents a monumental increase, with core defense and civil protection expenditure projected to climb to nearly €170 billion by the end of the decade.
This figure dwarfs last year’s defense budget of €52 billion (just over 2% of GDP), marking more than a threefold increase.The planned surge in investment comes ahead of NATO’s summit in The Hague this week, where the 32 member states are expected to formally adopt the 3.5% GDP target. Beyond this core spending, nations will also be obligated to allocate an additional 1.5% towards defense-related infrastructure and goods.
Germany’s commitment isn’t solely financial. The budget draft also prioritizes bolstering the nation’s armed forces, earmarking funds to recruit an additional 11,000 personnel by year-end, including 10,000 soldiers.
This aggressive expansion of Germany’s defense capabilities underscores a fundamental shift in European security dynamics and positions Germany as a key pillar in a strengthened NATO alliance. The move is likely to reverberate across the continent,prompting other nations to reassess and perhaps increase their own defense investments.
