Boosting defence spending is a task for all NATO members willing to close gaps with allies, ministers from historic low-spenders Italy and Germany said on Friday, following a round of talks with European counterparts.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said his country is prepared to move toward spending 5% of its economic output on defense, backing a goal pushed by US President Donald Trump for NATO members and underscoring the new Berlin government’s more aggressive stance on the military.

Trump’s demand has rattled many European allies, particularly those already struggling to meet Nato’s existing target of spending at least two per cent of GDP on defence. None of Nato’s 32 members, including the United States,