GDP, NATO and Trump

Rutte says NATO must spend smarter on defence or face bill of 3.7% of GDP
NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Monday the alliance's military capability targets may require members to spend as much as 3.7% of GDP on defence but this figure could be reduced with innovation and joint procurement.
Europe is divided over Trump's call for NATO members to boost defense spending to 5% of GDP
Ralf Stegner, a member of Germany's Social Democratic Party, called Trump's comments "delusional and truly insane." Poland has backed Trump's demand.
European defense heavyweights say meeting Trump’s military spending target won’t be easy
The defense ministers of Europe’s five top military spenders say they intend to continue increasing their investments in defense but described President-elect Donald Trump’s challenge for them to raise spending to 5% of their overall economic output as extremely difficult.
Poland backs Donald Trump on raising Nato spending to 5% of GDP
A Polish soldier holds a Nato flag at a ceremony last year. Warsaw doubled its defence spending after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 © Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/ Poland backs Do
Scholz rejects Trump's 5% NATO spending demand as far too costly
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday dismissed incoming US president Donald Trump's demands that Germany and other NATO allies spend at least 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence. "Five percent would be over €200 billion ($204 billion) per year,
Trump's 5% NATO defense push dubbed 'imperial tax' by Spain
Donald Trump, the President-elect of the USA, has suggested that NATO countries allocate 5% of their GDP to defense spending. The Spanish newspaper "La Vanguardia" describes this proposal as an "imperial tax" and argues that it aims to boost American arms sales.

Biden gives foreign policy address at State Department

NATO, Sweden and Baltic Sea

NATO seeks to agree new goals for weapons and troops in summer, says top official
NATO aims to bring forward a decision on new targets for weapons and troop numbers to this summer, a top military official ...
Baltic Sea undersea 'sabotage' sets stage for escalating NATO-Russia contest
A spate of alleged sabotage operations against undersea cables in the Baltic Sea has raised the prospect of a dangerous 2025 ...
Ukraine not yet in strong position for peace talks: NATO chief
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that Ukraine was not yet in a strong position to begin peace talks with Russia ...
Top Foreign Affairs Republican predicts US won't leave NATO but will strengthen it
Top Foreign Affairs Republican Sen. Jim Risch predicted the U.S. would not abandon NATO under the Trump administration, and ...
Politico Europe1h
Rethink welfare to finance military splurge, NATO boss tells European Parliament
The EU needs to rethink its spending priorities to boost defense budgets, NATO's new Secretary-General Mark Rutte told the ...
Former ambassador to Denmark: NATO alliance would be compelled to respond to Greenland invasion
Rufus Gifford, a former US ambassador to Denmark, said in a Sunday interview that the NATO alliance would be compelled to ...
NATO allies worry the US can't defend Europe and counter China, but there's a way
China's growing threat may leave the US military less focused on defending its NATO allies in Europe. But a new study argues ...
Russian Shadow Fleet's Jazz Tanker Breaks Down in 'NATO Lake'
A vessel believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet is reported to have broken down in the Baltic Sea after suffering an ...