German Chancellor Friedrich Merz highlighted German defense spending efforts in a meeting in Berlin with Baltic leaders on Friday, on the heels of fresh criticism from US President Donald Trump on the issue.
Merz on German defense spending: ‘We have no reason to be shy’
“Germany is doubling its defense budget within four years. This is the biggest effort ever to strengthen our defense capabilities. We have no reason to shy away from anyone in this regard,” Merz told reporters.
“We will explain this with all humility, and we are doing so as the EU’s largest member state, bearing a responsibility within Europe,” Merz said.
Trump said Thursday on his Truth social media platform that the NATO defense spending relationship is not “reciprocal” and that it is “ridiculous for the United States to continue on this one-sided path.” In a separate post, he claimed that Germany’s spending was “much lower than that of the US or other NATO allies between 2014-2025.”
The criticism comes as NATO leaders, including Trump, are expected to meet next week in Ankara, Türkiye. Merz said he would bring data on Germany’s defense spending to the summit.
Germany’s defense spending is expected to increase to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. Last year, during a summit in the Netherlands, NATO members agreed to increase spending on defense and security to 5% of GDP by 2035.
In 2025, Germany’s defense spending is projected to amount to 2.4% of GDP, exceeding the long-standing 2% benchmark. However, Germany lags behind most NATO members in terms of spending. According to NATO data, Poland and the Baltic states lead in terms of expenditure as a share of GDP.
Reuters news agency reported that NATO leaders, including Trump, are expected to reaffirm a “firm commitment” to collective defense under the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense clause. However, this statement will require final approval from all leaders.
Lithuania will lift the ban on deployment of nuclear weapons
Merz’s comments on defense spending come as Lithuania, another NATO member state, wants to lift its constitutional ban on deploying nuclear weapons on Lithuanian soil.
“A few days ago, I initiated a constitutional amendment to remove the existing ban on the possible deployment of nuclear weapons in Lithuania,” Lithuania’s President Gitanos Nauseida said during a Berlin press conference with Merz.
Nauseda said he would like Lithuania to be integrated into the Western nuclear deterrent against Russia.
Merz said he “noted with respect” Lithuania’s move to remain ready to defend its territory and NATO.
Lithuania, which was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1944 to 1991, borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Lithuania also shares a border with Russia’s close ally Belarus.
Russia launched its own full-scale military invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022, in response to which Vilnius downgraded ties with Moscow and cut off Russian gas.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico
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