Next year’s NATO summit may see member states told to ramp up defence spending to 3% of GDP as war with Russia and continued confrontation with China looms.
However, as it stands, eight of the 32 NATO states don’t hit the current 2% defence spending target, and only six currently spend more than 3%.
Croatia, Portgual, Italy, Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Spain are all projected to spend between 1.81% and 1.28% of GDP on defence this year.
Meanwhile, only Greece, Latvia, the United States, Estonia, and Poland are expected to spend more than 3%. Only Poland is forecast to go above four.
Talks are being held about the possibility of formally bringing a 3% target onto the table. US President-elect Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of many of the European members of NATO that fail to meet their current obligations.
With Mr Trump just over a month away from returning to the White House, sources told the Financial Times that discussions were being had about introducing a 2.5% target, increasing to a 3% target by 2030.
Mr Trump told Nigel Farage in March this year: « NATO has to treat the US fairly, because if it’s not for the United States, NATO literally doesn’t even exist.
« So if they start to play fair, America’s there? » the Reform UK leader asked. « Yes. 100 percent, » Mr Trump said.
In December, NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte told the FT he has an idea about what the defence spending target should be.
He told the outlet: « I have a number in my mind, but I’m not going to mention it now. But clearly, when you look at the capability targets, [when] you look at the gaps still there . . . It is clear that, with 2%, you cannot get there. »
« Politics is making choices in scarcity and there’s always a lack of money and always too many priorities, » while noting that keeping citizens « safe » had to be a priority for governments.
The next NATO summit will be held in Mr Rutte’s native Netherlands in 2025.
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