The majority of NATO members are set to miss a crucial target, despite the organization's longstanding goal for all member countries to allocate at least 2 percent of their GDP to defense.
This comes in light of Russia's war against Ukraine, with emphasis from NATO that every country must contribute its share. However, reports from Newsweek indicate that most member nations will not meet this goal.
Despite the Russian invasion, NATO countries continue to struggle with allocating at least two percent to their defense budgets.
Notably, significant members such as Germany, France, Turkey, Italy, and Spain are among those falling short.
Michael Allen, who has held senior positions in the U.S. National Security Council, questions when these nations will commit to this goal if not now. Fabrice Pothier, a former NATO planning officer, believes the target is largely about convincing the United States of European countries' military ambitions.
He states, "Two percent is really the mother of all goals, simply because it goes to the heart of the alliance as a transatlantic contract where the U.S. guarantees Europe's security, and Europeans are expected to do their part."
In light of Sweden's NATO application, the Swedish government has begun preparations for potential membership.
This includes striving to meet the two percent GDP defense spending target by 2028 and maintaining this level over time. The intention is to keep defense expenditure above this threshold once the goal is reached.
Many countries have started to invest more in military expenditures in response to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
