NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has projected that 23 of the record-equaling 32 points member states would be expect to meet Western military alliance requirements in defense spending this year. This is a significant increase compared to 2021, when only six countries achieved this target, which is largely attributed to the heightened threat of expanding conflict in Europe. The Russia-Ukraine war.
Stoltenberg focuses on increasing commitment European nations Defense spending by European allies and Canada has gone up by almost 18% for this year only. Within a meeting with President Joe Biden at White House, Stoltenberg reinforced the advantages of mutualism within the alliance: “NATO is good for American security, but NATO is also good for American jobs.”
The rise in military expenditure comes amid concerns over Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia and its impact on other neighbouring nations including Poland and Estonia which spend a high proportion of their GDP on defence.
The upcoming NATO summit in Washington next month will focus on Ukraine’s needs in the face of Russian attack and the possibility of Ukraine eventually joining the alliance.
Stoltenberg however said it was crucial that Ukraine joined NATO so as to deter further Russian aggression: “When the fighting is over, Ukraine joining NATO will ensure that the war is truly over.” However, Russia continues contesting such idea while there remain various raised issues about it.
During the war in Ukraine, the country’s army faced major challenges including shortages of troops, ammunition and air defense.
Defense spending by NATO through time
The end of Cold War after collapse of Soviet Union in 1991 appeared to take away most security hazards facing Western nations thus leading many European states into slashing their defense outlays.
Nevertheless, after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014; NATO members agreed to spend not less than 2 percent GDP on defense within ten years. With Putin launching a full-scale invasion in 2022, European countries suddenly find themselves at the forefront of a war in the heart of Europe and will need to allocate additional funds to achieve this goal.
