NATO’s Stoltenberg expects allies to raise their defense spending targets

BERLIN, 25 january (Reuters) – NATOGeneral Secretary Jens Stoltenberg told the German newspaper Die Welt that when the member states of the alliance meet at the summit to be held in Vilnius in July national expects to increase current spending target to protect 2% of output.

“I assume that we will be in Vilnius in July this year NATO when they meet at the summit, there will be a new target for defense spending,” Stoltenberg told Welt.

“The two percent target was originally ten years, to 2024, so we need to renew it now.”

Stoltenberg said that he could not yet say what the member countries would agree on. “However, I believe that this will be a more ambitious target than before, because everyone sees that we need to invest more,” he added.

After Russia’s intervention in Ukraine last February, many allies military have increased their expenses.

Written by Paul Carrel, edited by Kirsty Knolle

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2023-01-25 13:23:38
Source – reuters

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