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
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms]()
Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms
In a partnership with Emesent, Teledyne FLIR will equip its autonomous air, ground and detection systems with the Hovermap LiDAR payload in a move that highlights a broader market shift towards modular architectures, shared payloads and interoperability across platforms.
-
![US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors]()
US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.
-
![US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production]()
US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production
Global Military Products was selected by the US Army to operate the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility and ramp up the production of various calibre shell cases.
-
![Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace]()
Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace
Future operational superiority will be defined by the ability to connect systems, data and personnel into a wider network. For armed forces, this creates the need for a digital backbone that integrates and enhances sensors and effectors of all kinds.
-
![Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat]()
Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat
Estonian-made equipment is being put through the toughest of evaluations in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers resisting the full-scale Russian invasion which began in 2022. The country has long seen the threat and is continuing to adapt for the future.
