Germany on Thursday became the latest country to back Washington’s push to raise NATO members’ defense spending to 5% of GDP.
The new German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said at a meeting of the alliance’s ministers in Istanbul that Berlin is “following” US President Donald Trump’s increased spending target.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wants allies to agree to spend 3.5% on defense, and an additional 1.5% on related projects such as cybersecurity and infrastructure — a plan that the US NATO ambassador appeared to endorse.
Meanwhile, the European Union is stepping up negotiations with the US over tariffs: The bloc hopes to reach an amicable agreement, but it is also readying $108 billion in levies if no deal is made, Bloomberg reported.
