Canada NATO defense spending

NATO Chief Urges Europe to Adopt Wartime Mindset to Counter Russia

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned of Vladimir Putin’s ambition to conquer Ukraine and potentially other European nations, urging increased defense spending to counter this threat. He highlighted Russia’s escalating aggression, including drone attacks and cyber warfare, emphasizing the need for a “wartime mindset.” Rutte advocated for a significant increase in defense spending, surpassing the current 2% of GDP target, to bolster deterrence and preparedness for future conflicts. He stressed the importance of Ukraine’s involvement in any peace negotiations to prevent a favorable outcome for Russia and its global ramifications. Failure to act decisively now, he cautioned, will result in far greater costs later.

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Trump Allies Pressure Canada to Increase NATO Defense Spending

Trump allies, and many Canadians themselves, are expressing growing impatience with Canada’s persistent failure to meet its NATO commitment on defense spending. Canada remains one of only eight NATO members not reaching the agreed-upon benchmark of 2% of GDP allocated to defense, currently hovering around 1.37%. This is especially striking considering Canada possesses the sixth-largest GDP among NATO allies yet ranks 27th in defense spending as a proportion of its GDP.

The discrepancy between Canada’s economic capacity and its defense expenditure is seen as particularly egregious by some. Comparisons are made to other nations facing far more challenging economic circumstances, yet still managing to meet the 2% target.… Continue reading