Biden claims NATO is a ‘sacred commitment,’ but do other countries feel the same?
Most NATO members are not on track to meet their defense spending commitments, That could leave the United States with little backup if an ally is attacked, according to a national security adviser to former President Trump.
Allied countries pledged in 2014 to increase their military spending to 2% of their GDP by 2024 to comply with NATO’s Article 5, which stipulates that an attack on any member is an attack on all. I am considered. But most NATO countries haven’t met that goal, and a few have fallen further away in recent years, according to defense spending data collected by the alliance.
“If you don’t get to 2% of GDP, you won’t have the military infrastructure the military forces will be able to support the rest of the coalition as they invoke Article 5,” retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg previously told Fox. Told the news.
LT. General. Kellogg: Article 5 of NATO Relies on Defense Funding by Allies
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According to NATO estimates, while the combined average spending on defense has increased since 2015, only nine of the 30 NATO countries spent 2% of their GDP on defense last year. In 2022, the total amount spent on defense by the Allies was $1.190 trillion. Of that, $822 billion, or 69%, was spent by the United States, equivalent to 3.47% of its GDP.
“The money we’re putting into NATO is more than 2% of GDP,” Kellogg said. “We clearly understand what Article 5 means. In fact, we will respond well to it.”,
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Only 9 of the 30 NATO countries spent the 2% of GDP on defense in 2022 as stipulated in Article 3. (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Last month, President Biden spoke to a group of NATO leaders and reaffirmed America’s commitment to the military alliance.
“Putin doubts our continued support of Ukraine. He doubts whether NATO can stay unified,” Biden said in his speech from the Royal Castle in Warsaw. “But there should be no doubt, NATO will not split, and we will not crumble.”
“Article 5 is a sacred commitment that the United States of America has made,” Biden continued. “We will defend literally every inch of NATO.”
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The United Kingdom contributed the second largest dollar amount to its defence, spending 2.12% of its GDP, or $72 billion. According to NATO estimates, other countries reaching 2% were: Greece, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Croatia and the Slovak Republic.
Kellogg said, “I think you can count on a handful of countries I guarantee you’ll be in the middle of a fight.” “They’re going to fight quite effectively.”
The United States contributed 69% of the total $1.190 trillion spent on defense by allies in 2022. (Laura Hasney / Reuters)
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But the military spending of some countries has declined. Canada, for example, is set to spend 1.27% of its GDP on defense in 2022, up from 1.32% in 2021 and 1.42% in 2020, Nato estimates show.
Spain, the second lowest contributor in terms of GDP, reduced its military spending from 1.04% to 1.01% last year.
France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey, Norway, Slovenia, Portugal and Italy also reduced their percentage of military spending in 2022, moving further away from the 2% target.
“They’re going to wear the coat of America,” said Kellogg. “They say, ‘You guys go and fight it and we’ll be back here to support you.'”
