U.S. Defence Secretary Llyod Austin said at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday that NATO countries will agree to a new pledge to increase defence spending over the previous target this summer.
According to Austin, Negotiations over the exact language of the pledge are ongoing. Although In July, NATO members will meet at their summit in the Lithuanian Capital Vilnius to formulate the pledge. As a result, NATO’s defence plans are being strengthened and more forces are being prepared at higher levels of readiness, he said.
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NATO Deal: Response to Russia’s Annexation of Crimea in 2014
“In Vilnius, the alliance’s leaders will agree on a new defence investment pledge to make sure these plans can be effectively implemented,” Austin told reporters after the NATO defence ministers meeting. In order to invest even more in our shared security, we look forward to working with our valued allies.”
A NATO deal was reached after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 to halt the spending cuts they had made following the Cold War and move toward spending 2% of GDP on defence by 2024. Although NATO is working on a new target, some officials say no firm agreement has been reached yet.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is urging the 30 member countries
As part of a commitment to spend at least 2.5% of its GDP on defence by a set date, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the 30 member countries on Wednesday. As a result of Stoltenberg’s presidency of the NATO defence ministers’ meeting, the international community had its first high-level meeting on this issue.
In light of today’s more dangerous world, it is more evident than ever that spending 2% is right today. Ukraine is in the midst of a full-fledged war, and so is Europe, and we also face the persistent threat of terrorism and China’s security challenges. In that case, we must increase our spending,” Stoltenberg said.
Among NATO’s estimates for last year, nine countries met the pledge. However, 18 countries plan to do so. All allies combined spend less on defence than the U.S., which pays 3.47% of its GDP on defence.
“A 2% share of GDP should be seen as a floor and a minimum, not a ceiling,” Stoltenberg said. Moreover, he stressed that this should not be viewed as a long-term commitment, but rather an immediate commitment to spend 2% as a minimum on ammunition, air defence, training, readiness, and high-end capabilities.
Jens Stoltenberg Urges NATO Allies to Increase Industrial Capacity for Ammunition in Response to Russian Aggression
NATO’s Allies are providing Ukraine with unprecedented support in response to Russian aggression in light of recent events involving Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” As a result, our ammunition stockpiles are depleted while we consume massive quantities of NATO ammunition,” Stoltenberg said. Allies must work together with the defence industry to ramp up our industrial capacity.”
As a part of this effort, the U.S. has taken a lead role in talks among NATO’s national armaments dictators.
U.S. Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin.
U.S. Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin. said the ministers looked at problems with the NATO nations’ defense industrial base. “We also discussed our progress in building up ammunition stockpiles and boosting defense industrial capacity,” Austin said. “But we still have much more to do. Even as we rush to support Ukraine in the critical months ahead, we must all replenish our stockpiles to strengthen our deterrence and defense for the long term.”