The Republican White House frontrunner was widely rebuked after saying he would not defend NATO members who had not met their financial obligations, in his most extreme broadside yet against the military alliance. AFP PHOTOStoltenberg laid out new defense spending estimates, showing the number of states reaching 2 percent of their gross domestic product was expected to jump from 11 in 2023. Overall, though, he said European allies and Canada would have added more than $600 billion to their defense spending since they set the 2-percent goal a decade ago. Spurred on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, last year saw an "unprecedented rise" of 11 percent of spending by European members and Canada, Stoltenberg said. But the US still accounts for the vast bulk of combined defense spending by NATO members.

Source: Manila Times February 15, 2024 21:46 UTC