by Aurelie Pugnet
Support in the US for NATO is high and Europe’s investment in defence is higher than ever, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday (14 March), in a move to dismiss any future criticism from Washington.
Every spring the NATO head presents the results of the allies’ defence spending and support for the military alliance.
This year, his announcement was a bit different. Delivered just a few months before the US elections in November, and on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the military alliance, and as US Congress hampers the paying out of military aid to Ukraine, Europeans are scrambling to find funds and production capacity to keep up with Kyiv’s demands.
“An overwhelming majority of citizens across the alliance are in favour of NATO,” said Stoltenberg, quoting the military alliance’s polls. “Only 13% voted against, and over 82% of US citizens believe that North America and Europe must continue to work together.”
Stoltenberg only highlighted the US figures and dismissed Europe and Canada’s takes. This move feeds into the current narrative in the military alliance’ Headquarters that NATO must show whoever sits in the White House it is not a burden, but rather an advantage.
His comments follow a series of similar statements made in recent months, with NATO officials increasing their public messaging towards the US, to reassure them that Europeans are taking their security seriously and show that they are not solely relying on the Americans but instead taking matters into their own hands.
Stoltenberg pointed out last month, that a record 18 members out of 32 will reach the target of 2% of GDP spent on defence this year.
Highlighting these numbers was a move to appease concerns expressed by Republican candidate and former US president Donald Trump, that Europeans are not willing to spend their share of increasing defence expenditure.
These earlier-than-expected announcements in January came a few days after Trump suggested the US would not help countries that don’t meet their 2% target.
Increases on the way
The NATO head also revised the figures he presented just a month ago.
Though projections in January budgeted $380 billion spent on defence by Europeans and Canadians in 2024, Stoltenberg highlighted that with the surge in financial commitments, the amount could be $470 billion in Europe alone, according to his latest data.
That figure amounts to 2% of the EU’s combined GDP of the European NATO members – a first in the alliance’s history.
With NATO sceptic Donald Trump set to go head to head against incumbent president Joe Biden in November’s US elections, and polls showing the candidates as neck and neck, the recent defence spending figures are likely to be used to charm Republicans and gather support for NATO.
Stoltenberg also said he expected to see the figures go upward before the NATO summit on 9-11 July in Washington. He will present an update before then, because in the next few months, “We will have more numbers because there will be new decisions,” he said.
“More allies are making new budget contributions for 2024, (…) I hope the numbers will further improve by the Washington summit.”
*first published in: Euractiv.com
