NATO chief urges member countries to increase defence spending
On the occasion of the publication of NATO's annual report, the Secretary General of the Alliance took stock of his hopes that Finland and Sweden would join soon. But like the European Union, it advocates a military build-up of all the countries of the Atlantic Alliance and not only those of Central and Eastern Europe. © JOHANNA GERON / REUTERS
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On the occasion of the publication on Tuesday 21 March of NATO's annual report, the Secretary-General of the Alliance took stock of his hopes that Finland and Sweden would soon join the alliance. But like the European Union, it advocates a military build-up of all the countries of the Atlantic Alliance and not only those of Central and Eastern Europe.
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From our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
The security environment has changed radically in Europe since the war in Ukraine, insists the Secretary-General of NATO. Jens Stoltenberg lists all the reinforcements carried out by the Alliance on its eastern flank, but warns that the security of Allies is fragile. It calls for a long-term strengthening of the military tool
« The world is more dangerous than ever »
«
Many allies have announced significant increases in their defense spending since the Russian invasion. These promises must now be translated into concrete cash, contracts and equipment. Because defence spending is the foundation of everything we do. Since 2014, Allies have increased their defence spending and we are moving in the right direction. But we are not moving as fast as the dangerous world we live in requires. Today's world is more dangerous than at any time since the Second World War," warned Jens Stoltenberg.
And at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July, the Alliance's Secretary-General has the ambition to exceed the budgetary target. It was set with a horizon of 2% of domestic product for the defence budget. Jens Stoltenberg wants to transform the trial and get the thirty allied countries to make this 2% of GDP a minimum floor. Only ten countries meet the target like the United States, Poland and the Baltic States. The France is almost there, but the others will have to work hard.
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- NATO
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