Peagon chief warning in Brussels: relying on America is not enough
The Peagon chief today – Thursday – pushed NATO to accept an agreeme on rising military spending, saying that the US was not enough. He is looking for an agreeme that can satisfy Donald Trump at this moh’s summit.
Prior to the NATO summit in Brussels, US Defense Minister Pete Hegst said that NATO’s commitme to the defense cost of 5 % of GDP will “definitely be implemeed.”
“NATO’s commitme to spending 5 % of GDP will be fulfilled in the field of defense,” Hegst told reporters. “To be a member of a unity, one must be prepared for war.”
“We are here to coinue the work started by Preside Trump; That is, commitme to a 5 % cost of defense for the whole of this alliance, which we believe will be implemeed. “This should be done uil the Hague meeting late this moh.”
The US -led preside has called on NATO members to raise their defense budgets to five perce at the June and 2nd meeting in the Netherlands.
NATO Secretary -General Mark Route has also made a compromise proposal, which comprises 2.5 perce of GDP for the main military spending by year 2 and 4.3 % for broader security areas such as infrastructure.
Several diplomats say Rate is on the way to finalize the agreeme for the Hague meeting; NATO is facing a “Russian threat” after more than three years of war in Ukraine. But some allies still doubt the commitme to such a level of spending.
“The reason for my presence is to make sure that every coury in NATO understands that everyone has to take a shoulder; “Each coury must participate at five perce.”
“Our message will still be clear; Deterrence and peace through power. But one cannot rely. “One cannot and should not be relied on in a world full of threats.”
Spain, which has not yet reached NATO’s curre goal of two perce GDP, is most opposed and is expected to reach this level by the end of this year.
Diplomats say other couries are also bargaining to prolong the timing and eliminate the annual increase in the main defense cost. But the agreeme seems to be acceptable to most members; An agreeme allowing Trump to claim to have reached his original demand, while in practice expectations for European allies have declined.
The United States has supported the Rate’s plan, but Washington insists that every coury must provide a “reliable path” to achieve the goal.
In a releva move, the NATO ministers are set to set new goals for the military capability needed to deteriorate from Russia at their meeting.
German Defense Secretary Boris Pistorius estimated that according to new needs, Berlin should add about 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers to his army.
His Dutch couerpart, Ruben Barcrims, said that reaching the required level would cost at least 2.5 perce of GDP for the Netherlands.
AFP writes that it is not only the fear of Moscow that has led Europe to increase its military ambitions, but also doubts about the US commitme to the coine.
“What is decided in the Hague and what we spend on defense is the new defense investme program, which is based on our real needs in terms of military capability,” Route said.
Formerly a television preseer, Hegest shocked NATO on his previous trip in February that Washington may wa to reduce his military presence in Europe to focus on China.
The end of the message
(tagstotranslate) Pete Hegst (T) NATO
