All NATO members to sign new defense pledge – Stoltenberg

During the NATO summit, which began in Washington on Tuesday, July 9, all NATO members will sign a new defense industrial commitment that will help make the industry in Europe and North America stronger, more innovative and capable of producing at scale. This is what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, reports Suspilne.

“The first element of this commitment is to increase defense spending. Another key element is that we spend better and more collectively on defense,” said the NATO Secretary General.

Also, as Stoltenberg said, NATO member countries will make decisions aimed at closer cooperation with partners, including Ukraine.

He recalled that the Alliance has the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, which helps the allies to come together and buy weapons together.

Last year, the NATO Support and Supply Agency agreed to more than $11 billion in contracts for ammunition and supplies.

The NATO secretary general noted that 23 NATO members began spending 2% or more of their GDP on defense this year, adding billions to NATO’s budget. This money goes to defense industry contracts and is the result of a collective decision.

“Ten years ago, we agreed that we should strive for 2%. The declaration formula that we agreed on ten years ago was that we should strive to achieve 2% of GDP for defense. And there has been a big difference meaning. Now we have changed this condition to the fact that 2% is the minimum,” the official stated.

Let’s remember that the day before Trump called on NATO countries to increase defense spending. In particular, Eastern European countries must spend 10 percent of GDP on defense.

Record budget announced for NATO countries