Media: Most NATO countries spend more than 2% of GDP on defense

Countries located closest to the Russian Federation tend to spend the most on defense.

This year, 23 of NATO’s 31 countries will spend at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense. The Telegraph reported it.

In comparison, in 2014 there were only three such member states.

“Ukraine has prompted many NATO countries to increase defense spending to 2% of their GDP – a long-agreed common target – for the first time. There are 31 NATO members in total, and 23 of them the 2% target is expected to be reached this year; only three countries reached it in 2014. For the first time since the early 1990s, the Alliance was able to spend up to 2% of its GDP in defense,” the material said.

Among the countries that did not reach the 2% mark were Italy, Spain and Canada. While the United States is spending 3.38% on defense this year – less than last year.

At the same time, the publication notes that countries located closest to the Russian Federation often spend the most on defense.

“Estonia spends more as a percentage of GDP than America – 3.43%, while Poland, which has been very hawkish about the Russian threat (and has a history of encouraging it to do so), spends 4.12% from 3.9.” % last year, in comparison, spending in the UK rose from 2.07% of GDP in 2023 to 2.33% last year.

It was previously reported that European NATO members will collectively spend more than 2% of GDP on defense for the first time.

In turn, the EU Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, said that defense spending in the next seven-year EU budget should increase tenfold – to 100 billion euros.

NATO plans to increase defense spending by 3%

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