Germany met NATO's target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the government said on Monday, though well short of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's call for as much as 5%.

The return of Trump will once again put European defense spending levels at the center of the United States’ approach to NATO. Over the past several years, NATO members have boosted investments, with about 20 out of 32 members hitting the alliance’s benchmark of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense.

BERLIN: Germany met NATO’s target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the government

Germany met the NATO alliance's target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, a government spokesperson said on Monday, as the country weighs the need to further boost longer-term military funding commitments.

The leader of Germany's conservative CDU, the party's candidate to run for chancellor, said on Tuesday that the nation should focus on efforts to reach existing NATO defence spending targets before discussing any further increases.