U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in response to Polish President Andrzej Duda’s proposal for NATO countries to increase their defense spending, said on Monday that the first step should be for all countries to meet the current spending requirement.
During the Monday briefing, Miller answered a question from the Polish Press Agency (PAP) as to whether the U.S. is willing to support Duda’s proposal to increase the obligations of NATO allies to spend 3% of GDP on defense instead of the currently applicable 2%.
Miller said the first step was to get every country to meet the 2% threshold.
As of 2023, a minority of NATO allies met the 2% of GDP threshold recommended by the military bloc.
Miller said there was an improvement and added that about two-thirds are now meeting the threshold, likely referring to the member states’ spending plans for this year.
He also said the first step should be for all countries to contribute their fair share before raising the spending level.
Miller said the first step was to get every country to meet the 2% threshold.
As of 2023, a minority of NATO allies met the 2% of GDP threshold recommended by the military bloc.
Miller said there was an improvement and added that about two-thirds are now meeting the threshold, likely referring to the member states’ spending plans for this year.
He also said the first step should be for all countries to contribute their fair share before raising the spending level.
Duda’s proposal
In a text published in The Washington Post on the eve of his meeting with President Biden in the White House, Duda announced that during the talks he would propose increasing the requirement to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense, agreed at the NATO summit in Newport in 2014, and raise it to 3%.
According to Duda, this would be an appropriate response to the threats posed by Russia, which has switched its economy to war mode.
“I intend to convince our allies, both in America and Europe, of this. I am glad that the United States and Poland, which have already exceeded this minimum, can set an example and be an inspiration to others,” Duda wrote.
In a text published in The Washington Post on the eve of his meeting with President Biden in the White House, Duda announced that during the talks he would propose increasing the requirement to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense, agreed at the NATO summit in Newport in 2014, and raise it to 3%.
According to Duda, this would be an appropriate response to the threats posed by Russia, which has switched its economy to war mode.
“I intend to convince our allies, both in America and Europe, of this. I am glad that the United States and Poland, which have already exceeded this minimum, can set an example and be an inspiration to others,” Duda wrote.
Source:
More In Politics MORE...
