Bloomberg: NATO may increase defense spending to 3% of GDP

Author:
Anastasiia Mohylevets
Date:

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization wants to set specific targets for the production of weapons and military equipment. This may require increasing NATO defense spending to 3% of GDP.

This is reported by Bloomberg, citing its own sources.

Interlocutors of the publication say that these changes can be implemented as early as 2025. The priorities will be the strengthening of air defense, nuclear potential, as well as the development of offensive weapons.

The allies want to agree on production directions before the NATO summit in The Hague in June 2025. However, it can be difficult, officials believe. The countriesʼ defense ministers are likely to discuss the plan at a meeting in February.

Currently, the Alliance asks allied states to spend 2% of GDP on defense. According to Bloomberg interlocutors, the new targets can increase this indicator to 3%.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has repeatedly emphasized the need to increase investment in the military-industrial base of the Alliance. In his opinion, Europe is in a shaky position as long as it depends on the USA. This is especially relevant after the victory of Donald Trump in the presidential elections, because he is leaning towards the policy of isolating the States, the publication writes.

There are significant differences between the defense expenditures of the Alliance members: Poland allocated a record $46 billion, or 4.7% of GDP, to defense this year. At the same time, Germany will spend this year 2.1% of GDP, or €72 billion.

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