Donald Trump's return to the White House has investigated NATO spending, with Washington's warning that Europe must be willing to defend itself against Russian aggression that re -concentrates the spirits in Brussels.
The United States will “not tolerate an unbalanced relationship” with regard to the war in Ukraine and would not be taken for 'losers', said Defense Minister Pete Hegseeth last week when he stated that colleague -Navo members should spend more.
The US is by far the largest spender in the field of defense in general – a total of $ 967.7 billion, equal to 3.38 percent of the country's domestic product (GDP).
For comparison, the United Kingdom spends around $ 81.4 billion in defense, equal to 2.33 percent of GDP, with the government of Sir Keir Starmer on it that it is on a 'path' to increase this to 2.5 percent.
Although it defeats the majority of his NATO bondmen in the defense in terms of GDP, the US falls behind Poland and Estonia, whose military expenditures are 4.12 percent and 3.43 percent of their GDPs, and each of them more direct threats have to do because of their proximity of the Russian boundaries.
In the meantime, in the past decade, every NATO member has increased its defense expenditure in terms of GDP, apart from the United States, whose military budget has fallen slightly, according to NATO figures.
The American budget also does not meet Trump's own question for NATO members to spend 5 percent of their GDP on Defense.
Although no members currently meet this threshold, some are much closer than others, with many – including Spain, Canada, Italy and Portugal – who achieved the 2 percent goal of the Alliance no more than ten years ago.
A US Army M1A2 Sep V2 Tank will participate in a training exercise with international allies in Germny earlier this month
Danish soldiers will be participating earlier this month in a training exercise with other international allies in Germany
After the annexation of Russia's crimea in 2014, NATO members came in to bind 2 percent of their GDP to Defense expenditure to help guarantee the military readiness of the Alliance -a goal only 23 of the 32 members of The block that was reached by 2024.
The share of the Total NATO budget is spilled unevenly between each of the 32 Member States, with the top ten activities for its vast majority.
The US and Germany are bound as the best net contributors to the Security Alliance, with around 15.9 percent of the £ 3.8 billion budget for 2025 each.
It is not the first time that Trump has called on NATO members to dig deeper into their pockets in the defense.
In March last year, he wrongly claimed that the US will finance 90 to 100 percent of the block.
At the time, he warned that it would not exist if it was not for America and that the US would only defend fellow members if they would increase their expenses.
Trump surprised the European NATO and Ukraine last week when he announced that he had made a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin without consulting them and starting a peace process.
Trump has repeatedly called to NATO countries to further increase defense expenditure to pay five percent of GDP.
NATO Secretary -General Mark Rutte responded to Trump's requirements for paying for his own safety and said that members who commit about two percent of GDP to go to 'north of 3 percent'.
During a meeting of NATO ministers of the defense in Brussels, Rutte said that Europe had to spend more, and those who are not at 2 percent, get to 2 percent this summer, and who prepare for 2 percent for Much, much for more. And it will be to the north of 3 percent '.
NATO Secretary -General Mark Rutte said that members who commit around two percent of GDP, to 'north of 3 percent'
In 2014, NATO members came in to bind 2 percent of their national GDP to Defense outputs
He added: 'What is behind this are two things. One is the real problem that the US must concentrate on several theaters [of conflict].
“The other is the constant debate that the US has with European allies. She [the US] are right, they have the right to be extremely irritated about expenses.
'It can mean an increased taxation, but, hey, guess, it is the same for the US.
“If you spend 3.5 percent in defense, you cannot spend it on your pensions or you cannot lower your taxes for that amount.”
France of French armed forces Sebastien Lecornu has also said that NATO allies had to think in the long term and strengthen their defense industry, because Washington demands that Europe is taking on safety.
“It is a crucial moment of truth,” Lecornu told reporters prior to a NATO meeting in Brussels.
'People call it the most important, the strongest military alliance in history. That is historic – but the question is, it will still be true in 10 or 15 years. '
Hegseeth said on Wednesday prior to the conversations that the conflict in Ukraine should cause a factory reset for NATO, a realization that this alliance should be robust and strong and real '.
He repeated Trump's requirements for allies to more than double their goal spending to five percent of GDP, although it seemed possible to make some play space that can be incremental.
'Two percent of GDP is not enough. Three and four and ultimately, as President Trump said, five percent of defense expenditure is crucial, “said Hegseeth.
“There is a Russian war machine that has tried to take more and more land in Ukraine, and standing up against it is an important European responsibility.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseeth said on Thursday at NATO headquarters in Brussels that the US would not be taken for 'losers' -and that Europe should be responsible for the defense of Europe
President Donald Trump meets Ukrainian President Volodyymyr Zenskyy in Trump Tower, September 27, 2024, in New York
The chef of the Pentagon added on Thursday: “Make no mistake, President Trump will not allow anyone to change Uncle Sam into 'Uncle Sucker',” said the new Pentagon Chief.
He repeated a point that Trump has often made – that European allies have to pony more cash to support the alliance.
'NATO is a great alliance, the most successful defense alliance in history, but to endure for the future, our partners have to do much more for the defense of Europe. We have to make NATO great again, “said Hegseeth.
He noted that: “We can talk about everything we want about values.”
'Values ​​are important, “he said. “But you can't shoot values. You can't shoot flags. And you can't shoot strong speeches. There is no replacement for hard power. '
NATO chef Rutte will meet leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and the European Union today to discuss how to deal with the European security of Europe.
French officials said that no fixed decisions are expected that will go beyond a token of unity of European leaders.
“There is a wind of unity that blows over Europe, as we may not have felt since the COVID period,” said French Foreign Minister Noel Barrot, referring to the pandemic in 2020 when the 27 EU nations side by side had to stand to get away a health catastrophe.
However, a strong American link will remain essential for the near future, because it will take many years before European countries can strengthen the production of defense equipment and integrate them into effective force.
“American support remains critical and an American security guarantee is essential for a permanent peace, because only the US can prevent Putin to attack again,” wrote Sir Keir Starmer in the Daily Telegraph.
European countries have indicated that they are determined to support Ukraine where they can, and EU countries see eye to eye when it comes to increasing the expenses of defense.
Even if there is a general consensus to go beyond the goal of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on the defense, it is hardly clear how you can get 3 percent.
Some EU countries insist on an agreement on joint borrowing for massive defense projects, while others insist that it is the task of the nations that continue to spend the first 2 percent threshold. That issue will also be discussed during the meeting.
