Germany Committed To NATO's 2% Defense Spending Target - Maas

Germany will raise its defense spending to 2 percent of the gross domestic output in line with the NATO requirement despite the economic fallout from the coronavirus epidemic, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd April, 2020) Germany will raise its defense spending to 2 percent of the gross domestic output in line with the NATO requirement despite the economic fallout from the coronavirus epidemic, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday.

"We stand by our promise.

Since 2014, we have ramped up by 45 percent our defense spending in line with NATO criteria," he said during a video press conference ahead of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting.

The German government unveiled last month an unprecedented stimulus package to help virus-hit households and businesses. The parliament green-lighted more than $1.1 trillion in aid, which will be financed by government borrowing.