Germany set to hit Nato spending target for the first time since the early 1990s

Germany will meet Nato's target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence for the first time since the early 1990s, the defence ministry has revealed.

The announcement from Berlin follows a notable increase in spending by Nato members in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking ahead of a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels, said the alliance was now collectively meeting the 2% target - although some nations were still not paying their way.

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'Unprecedented rise'

According to official estimates earlier this month, the number of Nato member nations meeting or exceeding the alliance's spending target was only a third.

Nato members are expected to spend at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence.

Mr Stoltenberg announced that since the Defence Investment Pledge was made in 2014, Nato's European allies and Canada had added more than $600bn for defence.

Last year saw a real increase of 11% in defence spending across the European allies and Canada, which he called an "unprecedented rise".

The German government is now allocating the equivalent of 71.8bn euros (£61.2bn) for defence spending in the current year through regular and special budget outlays. However, the sum of its total defence spending is classified.

And the UK, at 2.07%, is one of 11 nations out of the 30 in Nato that are believed to be hitting the 2% target.

Mr Stoltenberg said he expects the number to rise to 18 nations this year, which would mark a six-fold increase since 2014 when only three member countries met the target.

'We are making real progress'

The numbers were highlighted after former US president Donald Trump made comments suggesting he might encourage Russia to attack members of the alliance who do not pay enough to Nato.

Mr Stoltenberg criticised Mr Trump, saying his words had put US and European troops "at increased risk".

Following the release of the latest defence spending figures, Mr Stoltenberg added: "In 2024, Nato allies in Europe will invest a combined total of $380bn in defence. For the first time this amounts to 2% of their combined GDP."

"We are making real progress. European allies are spending more. However, some allies still have a way to go. Because we agreed at the Vilnius Summit that all allies should invest 2%, and that 2% is a minimum."

In 2014, Nato allies in Europe invested 1.47% of their collective GDP in defence. That figure has risen steadily over the past decade, and will reach 2% this year.