Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European allies and Canada have already been increasing military spending, including purchases of weapons and ammunition, motivated by their own security concerns.
As part of a US push to increase security spending, NATO defense ministers are scheduled to approve purchasing targets on Thursday for stockpiling weapons and military equipment to better defend Europe, the Arctic, and the North Atlantic.
Air defense systems, long-range missiles, artillery, ammunition, drones, and “strategic enablers” like air-to-air refueling, heavy air transport, and logistics are among the priority equipment that each of the 32 countries is expected to acquire, according to the “capability targets.” Details are limited because each country’s plan is classified.
We choose the capability targets today. After that, we will evaluate our weaknesses so that we can defend ourselves not just now but also in three, five, and seven years, stated NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Before presiding over the meeting at NATO’s Brussels headquarters, he informed reporters that “all of these investments have to be financed.” On June 24–25, US President Donald Trump will meet with his NATO counterparts to decide on new defense investment targets.
“To be an alliance, you’ve got to be more than flags,” stated US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. You must be more than conferences. You must maintain combat-ready capabilities. Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European allies and Canada have already been increasing military spending, including purchases of weapons and ammunition, motivated by their own security concerns.
While they have already struggled to increase their budgets to 2 percent of GDP, some allies object to US demands that they devote 5 percent of their GDP to defense, with 3.5% going toward core military spending and 1.5% toward the roads, bridges, airfields, and seaports that will enable armies to deploy more rapidly.
In order to protect its territory from an attack by Russia or another significant adversary, NATO assigned the new targets in accordance with a plan decided upon in 2023, the military organization’s largest planning overhaul since the Cold War.
Although experts believe the allies would find it difficult to muster such numbers, the plans would aim for NATO to have up to 300,000 troops prepared to move to its eastern flank within 30 days.
The member nations are tasked with protecting NATO territory in three main areas: the Atlantic and high north, a zone north of the Alps, and a zone in southern Europe.
Given how quickly Russia is currently developing its armed forces and how quickly any peace deal to end its war on Ukraine would be implemented, NATO planners estimate that the targets must be met within five to ten years.
Some worry that if Western sanctions are loosened and Europe is unprepared, Russia may be even more prepared to attack a NATO nation sooner rather than later. “Are we going to get together once more and admit that we made some mistakes, and then perhaps we will begin studying Russian?” Dovile Šakaliene, the Lithuanian minister of defense, stated.
Additionally, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson cautioned that although Russia is currently mired in Ukraine, things could quickly change.
We also know that Russia will undoubtedly send more troops closer to our area following an armistice or peace deal. As a result, it is crucial that the alliance make use of these few years while Russia is still constrained by its force posture in and around Ukraine,” Jonson stated.
The member nations will have to allocate at least 3% of their GDP to defense if the targets are met.
According to Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, his nation estimates that “we should spend at least 3.5 percent on defense, which in the Netherlands means an additional 16 to 19 billion euros (USD 18-22 billion) in addition to our current budget” in the medium term. More tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and long-range missile systems—such as US-made Patriots that can target aircraft, cruise missiles, and shorter-range ballistic missiles—will probably be purchased by the Netherlands.
