European NATO allies and Canada will increase defence spending this year
by 4.3 per cent, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday, amid
pressure from President Donald Trump to spend more.
"In 2017 we foresee an even greater annual real increase of 4.3 per cent. That is three consecutive years of accelerating defence spending," Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a defence ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"So we are really shifting gears, the trend is up and we intend to keep it up," he added.
Trump has repeatedly berated the allies for not doing more to share the defence burden and bluntly told them again at a leaders' summit in Brussels last month that they could not count on Washington
coming to their defence if they did not do their bit.
Trump's comments caused consternation among many, notably Germany, but Stoltenberg said the president's demands were understandable given the challenges the US-led alliance now faces.
"I welcome the strong focus of Trump on spending and defence burden sharing," he said.
"At the same time, I also underline that allies should invest more in defence not to please the United States but because it is in their own interest and they have made the commitment."
"In 2017 we foresee an even greater annual real increase of 4.3 per cent. That is three consecutive years of accelerating defence spending," Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a defence ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"So we are really shifting gears, the trend is up and we intend to keep it up," he added.
Trump has repeatedly berated the allies for not doing more to share the defence burden and bluntly told them again at a leaders' summit in Brussels last month that they could not count on Washington
coming to their defence if they did not do their bit.
Trump's comments caused consternation among many, notably Germany, but Stoltenberg said the president's demands were understandable given the challenges the US-led alliance now faces.
"I welcome the strong focus of Trump on spending and defence burden sharing," he said.
"At the same time, I also underline that allies should invest more in defence not to please the United States but because it is in their own interest and they have made the commitment."
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