NATO chief urges member countries to increase defense spending

NATO chief urges member countries to increase defense spending

On the occasion of the publication on Tuesday March 21 of NATO’s annual report, the Secretary-General of the Alliance gave an update on his hopes of seeing Finland and then Sweden soon join the alliance. But like the European Union, it recommends a military reinforcement of all the countries of the Atlantic Alliance and not only those of Central and Eastern Europe.

From our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet

The security environment has changed dramatically in Europe since the war in ukraineinsists the Secretary-General of NATO. Jens Stoltenberg lists all the reinforcements made by the Alliance on its eastern flank, but warns that the security of the Allied countries is fragile. It requires a long-term reinforcement of the military tool

The world is more dangerous than ever »

Many allies have announced significant increases in defense spending since the Russian invasion. These promises must now be translated into concrete cash, contracts and equipment. Because defense spending is the foundation of everything we do. Since 2014, Allies have increased their defense spending and we are moving in the right direction. But we are not moving as fast as the dangerous world in which we live demands. Today’s world is more dangerous than ever since World War II “, warned Jens Stoltenberg.

And during the NATO summit in Vilnius in July, the secretary-general of the Alliance has the ambition to exceed the budgetary objective. It was fixed with a horizon of 2% of the domestic product for the defense budget. Jens Stoltenberg wants to transform the test and obtain from the thirty allied countries that this 2% of GDP now becomes a minimum floor. Only ten countries reach the goal such as the United States, Poland and Baltic countries. France is almost there, but the others will have to work twice as hard.

► To read also: Ukraine: NATO boss talks about more heavy weapons “in the near future”

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