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Eurocopters Tiger of the German Army take part in the Lithuanian-German division-level international military exercise 'Grand Quadriga 2024' at a training range in Pabrade, north of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania on May 29, 2024.
Image: Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo/picture alliance

Defense and military spending

Defense policies are changing rapidly, and military spending is surging worldwide amid growing conflicts and tensions.

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All Content on this topic

European Council President Antonio Costa (L), Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen address the press during a NATO summit in The Hague on June 24, 2025.

EU pushes for independent defense amid NATO strain

But questions remain over the EU's ability to carry out its reform plans amid tempered support from its US ally.
PoliticsJune 25, 202504:06 min
President Donald Trump arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport ahead of the NATO summit, taking place in The Hague, Netherlands, June 24, 2025, wearing a white USA hat

Trump joins NATO summit amid push for 5% defense boost

Ahead of the summit in The Hague, the NATO chief hailed the US president for making "us all safer."
PoliticsJune 25, 202502:24 min
Niederlande Den Haag 2024 | Interview mit EU-Außenbeauftragte Kaja Kallas

NATO 'can learn a lot from Ukraine,' EU's Kallas says

NATO members "can help Ukraine more if they invest more in defense," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told DW.
PoliticsJune 24, 202504:54 min
Armoured infantryman of the Bundeswehr during an exercise

NATO summit: Germany's military faces new challenges

NATO members have reached a deal on a new defense spending target. What does that mean for Germany?
PoliticsJune 24, 2025
A worker rides a bicycle in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in 2010

Nuclear enrichment a matter of 'dignity': Iranian ambassador

Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, Iran's ambassador to Berlin, told DW that Iran had a right to peaceful nuclear technology.
PoliticsJune 23, 202503:35 min
Low-angle view of a NATO flag fluttering in front of a building

Lithuania wants 'no exceptions' on NATO spending

This is why Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda says there should be no exceptions on defense spending.
PoliticsJune 23, 202508:21 min
Three soldiers in a trench, looking out over a green battlefield

A defense stress test: How prepared is the German military?

The conflict in Ukraine has shown that warfare is changing. Can the German armed forces keep up?
ConflictsJune 23, 202528:13 min
Iranians hold pictures of ayatollahs and wave Iranian flags

Iranians express shock and fear after US attack

Ordinary Iranians are caught between the regime in Tehran and a bombing campaign launched by the US and Israel.
ConflictsJune 23, 2025
Smoke rises from impact sites atop a mountain range seen behind a city scape

Israel doubles down on Iran following US strikes

Israel has followed up the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities with its own overnight strikes.
ConflictsJune 23, 202502:16 min
Yellow cake uranium powder in a filter press

Uranium: It's radioactive and it's everywhere

There's more of it than gold, but less than 1% of the naturally occurring element is useful for nuclear power.
ScienceJune 23, 2025
Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China, on October 31, 2010

How China wields rare earths as a strategic weapon

Until global supplies of rare earths increase, Beijing can wield great power over the West's critical industries.
TradeJune 23, 2025
During a mass protest, demonstrators hold up Spanish flags and a placard expressing criticism of Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez

Why Spain is opting out of NATO's 5% defense target

As NATO members agree to a higher defense spending goal of 5%, Spain has said it won't commit to the target.
PoliticsJune 23, 202502:43 min
President Donald Trump meets NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office

NATO summit: Trump set to win big on defense spending

Iran will be high on the agenda at NATO talks, but its main focus is expected to be a massive defense spending increase.
PoliticsJune 23, 2025
A US Air Force B-2 stealth bomber returns after the United States attacked key Iranian nuclear sites on June 22, 2025.

Iran left with 'limited' options after US strike

Robert Chatterjee, expert on the Arab and Islamic world, spoke with DW following the US attack on nuclear sites in Iran.
ConflictsJune 22, 202507:42 min
In this photo released by the US Air Force on May 2, 2023, airmen look at a GBU-57, or the Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb, at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri.

What to know after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites

US President Donald Trump said he ordered the US military to attack the Iranian nuclear sites.
ConflictsJune 22, 2025
Flags of the NATO alliance at the organization's headquarters on April 3, 2023

NATO members agree to 5% defense spending increase

The deal to increase NATO member countries' defense spending reportedly went through after Spain secured an exemption.
PoliticsJune 22, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. June 21, 2025.

US attacks Iran with strikes on 3 nuclear sites

The Israel-Iran war escalated as US bombers hit Iranian nuclear sites. Netanyahu said the US move "will change history."
ConflictsJune 22, 202502:27 min
On a blue background, a miniature drawing of the Brandenburg Gate is seen between the words "Berlin Briefing" in caps and a design depicting radio airwaves

Bolton: Iran could become Trump's next TACO moment

US President Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton checked in with Berlin Briefing's hosts.
PoliticsJune 19, 202530:19 min
Teaser Berlin Briefing NEU

Bolton: Iran could become Trump's next TACO moment

US President Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton checked in with Berlin Briefing's hosts. Bolton explained why he doesn't believe Trump will send the bunker-busting bomb to Iran. Pushed for a character assessment, Bolton questioned whether Trump had even made up his mind on what he will do next – on Iran and NATO.
PoliticsJune 19, 202529:21 min
Satellite photo showing the Fordo facility as it appears above ground, namely a large, isolated white-roofed building surrounded by a fence with roads leading toward it.

Fordo — the heart of Iran's nuclear program

Israel has said its assault on Iran aims to destroy its nuclear program. A secret bunker at Fordo is in the crosshairs.
PoliticsJune 18, 2025
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran's Khamenei defies Trump's call to surrender

Tensions mount as Iran's supreme leader vows not to surrender and warns of "irreparable damage" if the US joins Israel.
ConflictsJune 18, 202501:50 min
North Korea's main nuclear complex is seen in Yongbyon, North Korea, just north of the capital, Pyongyang

Is North Korea boosting its nuclear capabilities?

North Korea is building a new facility at Yongbyon that is similar to a known uranium enrichment site, says the IAEA.
PoliticsJune 18, 2025
bespectacled man with tie speaks into a microphone featuring canadian rockies

German outcry over Merz's remark on Israel's 'dirty work'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday praised Israel for being "courageous enough" to attack Iran's nuclear site.
PoliticsJune 18, 202503:12 min
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen at the White House in Washington, DC

Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

DW looks at the president's stance on the conflict and his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
PoliticsJune 17, 2025
A black wall that blocks the Israeli pavilions has been erected at the Paris Air Show

Israel says weapons exhibits blocked off at Paris Air Show

The Defense Ministry posted picture of defense industry stands covered by black partition walls.
PoliticsJune 16, 2025
An Airbus A380 plane and a Boeing 747 sitting next to each other on the tarmac of Frankfurt Airport in Germany

Aviation shake-up: Airbus surges ahead of Boeing

Boeing dominated the aircraft market but is now second to Airbus because it's making headlines for the wrong reasons.
BusinessJune 16, 2025
An illustration of the explosion of an atomic bomb with a mushroom cloud in the desert.

Risk of nuclear war grows amid new arms race

A dangerous new nuclear arms race is emerging as arms control is severely weakened, according to a new SIPRI assessment.
ConflictsJune 16, 2025
An Iranian flag in front of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant

How close is Iran to getting a nuclear bomb?

According to Tehran, its nuclear program is purely civilian, though Israel thinks it's aimed at making a nuclear bomb.
PoliticsJune 15, 2025
Low-angle view of a building heavily damaged in an Israeli strike targeting the Narmak district in eastern Tehran

Israel and Iran trade strikes for a third day

Holly Dagres, senior fellow at the Washington Institute think tank, speaks with DW.
ConflictsJune 15, 202506:24 min
Iron Dome intercepts rockets from Gaza

How Israel's Iron Dome and Iron Beam defense systems work

Israel has been using its multi-layered Iron Dome system for years, but it may begin using a new system for its defense.
ConflictsJune 15, 2025
Soldiers walk together with their arms on each other's shoulders

How Germany plans to celebrate its first Veterans Day

Members of the German military will be honored in the country's first-ever Veterans Day on June 15.
PoliticsJune 15, 2025
A building stands damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 14, 2025.

Iran: Death toll from Israeli overnight strikes rises to 78

Meanwhile, Israel said its strikes on nuclear sites killed Iranian military commanders and senior nuclear officials.
ConflictsJune 14, 202502:28 min
A soldier of the Bundeswehr's guard battalion salutes in front of Bellevue Palace. The background shows soldiers lined up in three rows in front of the palace.

Why Germany has a tense relationship with its military

A nationwide Veterans' Day will be held in Germany for the first time on Sunday, in a significant shift for the country.
ConflictsJune 14, 202500:59 min
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington

What's the US role in the Israel-Iran conflict?

US President Donald Trump threatened that Iran could see worse attacks than those on Friday.
PoliticsJune 13, 2025
A view of the banner displaying former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut

Lebanon: Is Hezbollah too weak to come to Iran's aid?

Hezbollah remains remarkably restrained after the Israeli strikes on Iran. Is the group too weak or busy rearming?
PoliticsJune 13, 2025
On a blue background, a miniature drawing of the Brandenburg Gate is seen between the words "Berlin Briefing" in caps and a design depicting radio airwaves

Europe's military giant (again?!)

Half of Germans back Chancellor Merz's pledge to spend 5% of GDP on defense. And the other half?! And how comfortable are Germany's European partners with the new German leadership style that includes sweeping commitments to arm up? DW's top correspondents Michaela Küfner and Nina Haase in Berlin and Alexandra von Nahmen at NATO HQ in Brussels analyze what Merz' pledges will mean in real terms.
PoliticsJune 13, 202542:25 min
Uniformed soldier on a military vehicle

NATO in transition — a year with the soldiers

Are the German armed forces prepared for the challenges of the future?
ConflictsJune 13, 202542:34 min
Teaser Berlin Briefing NEU

Europe's military giant (again?!)

Half of Germans back Chancellor Merz's pledge to spend 5% of GDP on defense. And the other half?! And how comfortable are Germany's European partners with the new German leadership style that includes sweeping commitments to arm up? DW's top correspondents Michaela Küfner and Nina Haase in Berlin and Alexandra von Nahmen at NATO HQ in Brussels analyze what Merz' pledges will mean in real terms.
PoliticsJune 13, 202539:12 min
A satellite image of Iran's Natanz nuclear site

Israel targets Iran's Natanz and other nuclear sites

Israel has carried out attacks on multiple sites in Iran, including several sites related to Iran's nuclear program.
ConflictsJune 13, 2025
View of nuclear power plant

IAEA says Iran not complying with nuclear obligations

The UN nuclear watchdog has slammed Iran for failing to comply with its non-proliferation obligations.
PoliticsJune 12, 2025
A soldier gives instruction about a DJI drone in a field in Ukraine

AI, drones, cyber weapons: How tech is changing warfare

Governments are investing tons of money in high-tech warfare equipment. How is it changing the battlefield?
Digital WorldJune 12, 202503:39 min
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney

Canada boosts defense spending to hit NATO's 2% target early

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada needed to reduce its reliance on the US, rebuking Donald Trump's tariffs.
PoliticsJune 9, 2025
Tanks stand in two rows in a conrete bunker

NATO likely to hike defense spending despite economic woes

The alliance looks set to satisfy Trump's demands on military spending, with NATO chief Rutte proposing a creative fix.
ConflictsJune 5, 2025
Mark Rutte with Pete Hegseth with US and NATO flags in the background

NATO countries on track to agree massive spending increase

NATO's Secretary General says the alliance is close to agreeing a major increase in defense spending.
PoliticsJune 5, 202502:43 min
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pictured talking to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with other European counterparts

NATO ministers back defense spending increase

NATO alliance defense ministers have broadly endorsed a plan to increase spending to 5% of GDP.
PoliticsJune 5, 2025
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks with German soldiers in Lithuania on May 22, 2024

Germany needs up to 60,000 more troops, says defense chief

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius's estimate reflects growing military demands amid heightened tensions with Russia.
PoliticsJune 5, 2025
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center in Iran on May 2, 2025

IAEA warns Iran has upped enriched uranium production

The nuclear watchdog said Iran's stocks of 60% enriched uranium have increased to over 400 kilograms.
PoliticsMay 31, 2025
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore.

US Pentagon chief Hegseth warns of 'imminent' China threat

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth urged Indo-Pacific allies to up their defense spending amid a "real" threat from China.
ConflictsMay 31, 2025
Israeli soldiers gather near the Israeli-Gaza border in southern Israel before they enter Gaza Strip

Germany debates whether to keep supplying weapons to Israel

Just how many weapons does Berlin supply to Israel, compared with other countries?
ConflictsMay 30, 202502:23 min
Photo combination of US President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Iran-US nuclear talks: Is a new deal imminent?

The US and Iran are negotiating a possible interim agreement. The Gulf states play a key role.
PoliticsMay 27, 2025