The leader of Germany's conservative CDU, the party's candidate to run for chancellor, said on Tuesday that the nation should focus on efforts to reach existing NATO defence spending targets before discussing any further increases.

Germany has met NATO's 2% GDP defense spending target for 2024. This comes despite budget constraints and aligns with Chancellor Scholz's strategy since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, long-term military funding remains uncertain,

BERLIN: Germany met NATO’s target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the government

Germany met NATO's target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the government said on Monday, though well short of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's call for as much as 5%.