When it comes to military spending, lawmakers across the aisle want NATO members to pay up
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators wants NATO nations' military spending to be at the top of this year's summit agenda.
The U.S. contributes more than any other member of the alliance, and senators are urging President Joe Biden to push NATO nations to step up their defense spending at a summit next week in Lithuania.
"The lack of sufficient progress is politically and economically unsustainable. American citizens rightly question why our government disproportionately bears the burden — decade after decade — for Europe's defense. In Vilnius, we respectfully request that you make this issue a top priority," a group of 35 senators told Biden in a letter that was shared with USA TODAY.
NATO nations agreed in 2014 to aim to spend at least 2% of their annual gross domestic product on defense, following Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, and take steps to meet the guideline within a decade. At the time, only three countries, including the United States, were meeting the standard.
By the end of this year, number is projected to rise to 11, according to a new report from NATO that was released on Friday. The report that includes estimated 2023 spending shows the bulk of the 31-nation alliance's defense expenditures still lagging.
Germany, for instance, is projected to spend 1.57% of its GDP on defense this year, or $56.6 billion, according to the NATO report, compared with the 3.49%, and roughly $743.3 billion, the U.S. is estimated to spend.
The German government announced an increase of 1.7 billion Euro for defense 2024 earlier this week and said that some 19.2 billion euros from a special fund would also be spent next year. Germany says the combined spending puts it on a pathway to reach NATO’s 2% target in 2024.
In Vilnius, the alliance will discuss making 2% GDP the minimum for defense spending. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said he expects allies to make an "ambitious new defense investment pledge with 2% of GDP as a floor not ceiling."
Biden told the NATO chief during a June meeting at the White House that he would support the push.
"And at our summit in Lithuania next month, we’re going to be building on that momentum, from working to ensure that Allies spend enough on the defense, the 2 percent — not just as a hike, but that’s the bottom line," Biden said. …
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/07/nato-countries-military-spending-contributions/70390384007/