BERLIN, May 22 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Friday that the federal government will spend 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense this year.
Speaking at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Wadephul said Germany is moving toward the target of 5 percent, local media Deutschlandfunk reported.
NATO allies decided last year to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.
Wadephul also announced closer cooperation between the defense industries of Europe and Ukraine. Ukraine's future military needs should be continuously financed by European NATO partners and Canada, he said.
Regarding the announced withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany, Wadephul said it had always been clear that Washington would redeploy units. He also welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to station 5,000 troops in Poland. ■
