NATO intends to make 2% of GDP defense spending mandatory for all member states

This was reported by the BBC.

Some countries insist on raising the ceiling on defense contributions. Now it amounts to 2% of the GDP of each NATO member state. This figure was agreed on at the NATO summit in Wales, 2014. However, the states are expected to aim to provide such a contribution, not do it on a mandatory basis. Such countries as Canada and Belgium, for example, provide much less than 2% of their GDP to the common fund.

Now some countries, in particular, Poland, Lithuania and the UK, are pushing for 2% to become a mandatory minimum contribution for all NATO members.

"We will meet, hold talks at the ministerial level and in capitals," Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

He also said that he expects to reach an agreement on this issue no later than the next NATO summit scheduled for July 11 and 12 in Vilnius.

According to experts, the initiative of NATO's European partners to increase defense spending is related to the war in Europe, the Russian threat and the large costs of military assistance to Ukraine.

A meeting of NATO's highest military body, the Military Committee, will be held in Brussels on January 18 and 19, 2023, where support for Ukraine will be among the main topics of the discussion.