In Washington Speech, Stoltenberg Announces Record 23 NATO Members to Meet 2% GDP Defense Spending Target in 2024

Jun 17, 2024, 05:17 PM

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced in Washington that a record 23 out of NATO's 32 member nations will meet the alliance's target of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense in 2024. This marks a significant increase from previous years, with only three countries meeting the target in 2014, seven in 2022, and eleven in 2023. The announcement was made during a speech at the Wilson Center. The increase in defense spending comes amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Stoltenberg emphasized that this is beneficial for both Europe and America, noting that much of the extra money is spent in the United States.