“Across Europe and Canada, NATO allies are increasing defense spending by 18% this year, the largest increase in decades, and 23 allies will spend 2% or more of their GDP on defense this year,” he said during a meeting with US President Joe Biden.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Photo: Reuters
Speaking earlier at the Wilson Center think tank, Mr Stoltenberg said increased defence spending by allies "is good for Europe and good for the US, especially since most of the additional money is spent in the US".
Mr Stoltenberg is in Washington to prepare for next month's NATO summit, a topic he and US President Joe Biden have also discussed.
President Biden said the alliance was facing one of the most critical moments for Europe since World War II. “We have reinforced NATO’s eastern flank, making clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory,” he said.
Secretary General Stoltenberg said that when NATO leaders set a target of spending 2% of GDP on defense at the alliance's 2014 summit, only three members - the United States, Greece and the United Kingdom - met that target. At that time, NATO had 28 members. Today, NATO has 32 members.
NATO defense spending has become a highly contentious issue in recent years, particularly when former US President Donald Trump accused Europeans of spending too little on their own security and relying on the US for protection.
Defense spending will be a major topic at next month’s NATO summit in Washington, Stoltenberg said. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine will also be on the agenda. He warned that delays in US military aid to Ukraine that occurred earlier this year must not be allowed to happen again.
Cao Phong (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phan-lon-thanh-vien-nato-se-chi-it-nhat-2-gdp-cho-quoc-phong-vao-nam-2024-post299739.html
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