Former laggard Germany hailed as NATO role model by Rutte | Euractiv

Berlin plans to reach spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2029

Previously a laggard in defence spending, Germany now leads the European efforts at NATO, the Alliance’s Secretary-General said on Wednesday.

“Germany leads and Germany delivers,” Mark Rutte said at a press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.

Rutte praised the country’s goal to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2029, six years earlier than the agreed NATO goal, as “an extraordinary achievement”.

This takes “political courage, resolve, and conviction” as it means “making tough decisions”, he added.