European NATO members are holding talks on increasing the alliance's defense spending target to 3 percent of gross domestic product at its annual summit next June, partly in anticipation of Donald Trump's policy. Return as President of the United States.
Four people involved in the initial talks told the Financial Times that they were discussing the sharp rise from 2 percent of GDP, a move that would put severe pressure on already strained national budgets and that has raised skepticism in many capitals.
Of NATO's 32 members, 23 countries will meet the current 2 percent target this year, according to the website. Alliance accountsUp from six members in 2018. However, this also means that seven European members, including Italy and Spain, still cannot meet the standard agreed a decade ago.
but, Trump asked That Europe should pay more To defend herselfThe realization that current spending levels are not sufficient to support Ukraine and deter Russia has forced capital to absorb the extent of the lack of investment.
The secret talks, which began at a meeting of coalition foreign ministers last week and may yet fail to reach a full agreement, envisage a short-term pledge to reach 2.5 percent and, by 2030, a target of 3 percent, which is three out of 3. Of the sustainable development goals. People said. The new commitments will be formally agreed at next year's summit in the Netherlands.
Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General, declined to comment when asked about setting a new target, but said he would push for it to be “far more” than the current standard.
“I have a number in mind, but I won't mention it now. But it's clear that when you look at the capacity targets, (when) you look at the gaps that still exist… It's clear that with 2 percent, you can't get there.”
Rutte said it would be “good” to agree on a new target at the Hague summit, despite the financial pressures in Europe that toppled the German and French governments in the past two months.
“Politics makes choices in scarcity, there is always a shortage of money, and there are always too many priorities,” he said, adding that keeping a country “safe” should be a critical priority for leaders.
During Trump's first term, he used the 2018 NATO summit to call for more spending or… The risk of the United States leaving the alliance. Leaders, including Rutte as Dutch Prime Minister, have pledged to accelerate spending increases to 2 percent.
However, the increase in spending came only in response to the war launched by Russia against Ukraine. The non-US members of the coalition have collectively increased spending by about $100 billion over the past two years.
“With all the tasks facing us, in terms of defending Ukraine and NATO’s minimum capability requirements, this discussion will come, no matter what,” a German official said. The upcoming NATO summit will be the ideal time for this.”
The official said a 3 percent commitment would also be a “good signal for the United States and Trump.” Germany achieved the 2 percent target this year for the first time.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has long called for increased defense spending, warning that Russia would be in a position to attack a NATO country by 2029. “They have not turned to the war economy because they are bored,” the official said.
Increasing spending will pose a major challenge for many European countries, including economies such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The UK is set to spend about £60 billion, or 2.3 per cent of GDP, on defense this year, and the government has pledged to raise that amount to 2.5 per cent. Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not say when that would happen – only that the pending Strategic Defense Review would set out a “roadmap” to achieve that goal.
Defense officials and analysts openly acknowledge that even a 2.5 per cent spend will not be enough for the British Army to modernize itself, continue to deliver its full range of capabilities – including nuclear deterrence – and meet NATO's updated plans.
“The UK cannot meet its current request from NATO of 2.5 percent of GDP,” a senior British military official told the Financial Times.
Italy, which spends 1.49 percent, is already subject to EU excessive deficit measures for breaching budget rules in Brussels. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has committed to reaching NATO's current target of 2 percent of GDP by 2028.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto warned this week that Trump's return would put more pressure on Rome to exceed the current target.
“I don’t know in what time frame, but Trump will certainly accelerate this campaign,” Crosetto said in a public appearance on Monday. “It will not even reach 2 percent. It will be 2.5 percent if not 3 percent, according to NATO.
Spain, which ranks last on NATO's spending list with 1.28 percent of its GDP on defence, has sought to ease the focus on the 2 percent threshold.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reminded foreign correspondents this week that Spain has exceeded the second target of allocating 20 percent of defense spending to research and development, and is contributing large numbers of troops to NATO missions.
The United States spends about 3.4 percent of its gross domestic product on defense.
Additional reporting by Barney Jobson in Madrid and Lucy Fisher in London
