Germany's defence spending is expected to go up more than 5 billion euros this year compared to 2018, reaching 1.35 percent of the country's GDP, the n-tv broadcaster reported.
READ MORE: Trump Urges European NATO Members to Boost Budgets Even More, Schools Germany
According to the latest estimates, Germany allocated a total of 1.23 percent of its GDP for defense last year.
Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to boost the country's military spending up to 1.5 per cent of its GDP by 2023.
However, the budget plan presented by German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz in mid-March stipulates that the expenditures will decrease after a rise next year.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly rebuked NATO members for freeloading off the United States and not making large enough contributions to defence spending and lashed out at Germany in April, criticizing it for spending just around 1 percent of its GDP on defense.
