European NATO countries reach average defence spending requirement and renew Ukrainian support
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO spending was up and approaching 2% of national GDP for all European members. (Photo: NATO)
NATO Defence Ministers met on 15 February to discuss how to further strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and defence followed by a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.
European NATO members will invest an average of 2% of their annual GDP in defence by the end of 2024 with 18 countries meeting the target in 2024, up from just three in 2014.
In the face of criticism from former US President Donald Trump while he was in the Whitehouse and during recent campaign speeches, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted the rise in spending after a defence ministers’ meeting on February 15 when the Ukraine Defence Contact Group also met.
Stoltenberg said since the Defence Investment Pledge was made in 2014, European Allies and Canada have added more
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