NATO countries could increase their military budget, says Jens Stoltenberg

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO member countries could decide to increase their defense spending beyond their current target of spending 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on it at the next NATO summit. Alliance, scheduled for Vilnius in July 2023, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.

“I expect that somehow, even though the 2% may be maintained, it will be more like a floor than a ceiling for defense spending,” he said. declared Jens Stoltenberg, during a visit to Spain, where NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly is held.

“These are negotiations that will continue, but I absolutely believe that the ambitions will be increased in one way or another – because everyone now sees the need to invest more,” he said. added.

Faced with the offensive led by Russia in Ukraine, the leaders of NATO member countries have called for strengthening defense budgets, which have tended to decrease in recent years. They have pledged to increase their respective military budgets to at least 2% of GDP from 2024.

“I can’t tell you exactly what our allies are going to agree to when it comes to formulating the defense spending pledge for the next decade or so…but I expect it to be an even bigger commitment. strongly in favor of increased defense spending,” Stoltenberg said.

(Report Sabine Siebold and Marine Strauss, French version Diana Mandiá, edited by Blandine Hénault)