Overview
- U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby publicly praised Germany's turnaround as a ‘‘tectonic’’ shift from demilitarization to rapid rearmament and told the Senate Armed Services Committee that allies have taken credible steps to meet NATO commitments.
- NATO data show Germany plans almost €125 billion for defence in 2026, a level U.S. officials point to as concrete evidence the country is accelerating spending ahead of the 2035 NATO target.
- At a recent ministerial meeting German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a declaration of intent to deepen cooperation in arms production, formalizing closer industrial ties.
- The build‑up follows NATO's Hague decision to aim for a combined 5% of GDP for defence and defence‑relevant spending by 2035, with Germany pledging to reach that 5% goal by 2029 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and U.S. pressure.
- The shift makes Germany a model for allied burden‑sharing, with likely second‑order effects including faster weapons procurement, expanded defence manufacturing ties with the U.S., and greater German operational commitments in Europe.