Overview

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised NATO as the foundation of German freedom and security for three generations and vowed stronger future support
• Germany has enshrined a 2% of GDP defense spending target in its constitution to more than double annual military budgets by 2029
• Defense Minister Boris Pistorius urged European allies to shoulder greater responsibility and said Germany is setting the example within the alliance
• Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for a more agile, resolute and technologically superior NATO to counter evolving threats
• Officials pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine and hybrid attacks on NATO as evidence of urgent capability gaps that higher European investment must close