US President Donald Trump’s demands for a 50% increase in NATO member states’ defense spending has sent shockwaves through the alliance. Currently, 24 of 32 members meet the existing target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense. However, with the US president now seeking an increase to 5%, allies are struggling to balance their budgets and maintain deterrence against Russia.
The issue will be high on the agenda at Thursday’s meeting of NATO defense ministers and the upcoming Munich Security Conference. Allies must weigh the need to keep Trump engaged in Europe against the financial strain imposed by his demand, which could have significant implications for the future of the alliance.
Source: https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-nato-allies-defense-spending