The Pentagon praises Germany's commitment to increasing defense spending and enhancing its military capabilities

The US Department of Defense praised Germany's efforts to enhance its defense capabilities and increase military spending, considering Berlin among the countries most committed to implementing NATO pledges.

A statement submitted by US Undersecretary of Defense Elberg Colby to the US Senate Armed Services Committee said that NATO allies, including Germany, have taken credible steps to fulfill the commitments agreed upon during the alliance’s summit in The Hague, years before the deadline set in 2035.

NATO countries had agreed during the summit, and in light of the Russian war on Ukraine, to allocate no less than 3.5% of GDP for defense spending, in addition to 1.5% for expenditures related to security and defense such as infrastructure, bringing the total targeted spending to 5% of GDP annually.

Germany aims to reach this ceiling by 2029, that is, six years before the deadline set within the alliance.

The Pentagon also praised German-American cooperation in the field of defense industries, and considered Germany a role model in strengthening partnerships for weapons production and developing military capabilities.

In this context, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, signed a memorandum of understanding this month aimed at expanding areas of defense and industrial cooperation between the two countries.

This was not the first time that Kolbe praised the German role, as he previously described Berlin during a meeting at NATO headquarters as a model for the rest of the allies, noting that what Germany witnessed during the past eighteen months represents an “exceptional, radical transformation” and a “historic change.”