NATO soldiers from the US, Romania and Croatia take part in a military parade in Warsaw last year Photo: WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP
Expenses NATO is at «unprecedented» levels, the alliance's head said on Wednesday after Donald Trump expressed doubts about its future.
Jens Stoltenberg said 18 of the alliance's 31 members were on track to meet the minimum expenses. 2 percent of gross domestic product.
The group includes Germany, Europe's largest economy, which will hit the target for the first time this year.
That means European NATO members will spend a record $380 billion (£302 billion).
But France is not expected to reach the 2 percent level until 2025 as part of its plan to increase defense spending. after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement came after Donald Trump, the bookmakers' favorite in the race for the White House, said he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies that have fallen short.
“We need to listen and take note the following: the criticism we hear is not primarily about NATO. The point is that NATO allies are not spending enough,” Mr. Stoltenberg told reporters at the start of a two-day meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers.
He added: «And that's a strong argument… European allies and Canada are spending more because we don't see fair burden sharing in the Alliance.»
Mr Stoltenberg said the 13 allies that missed the target would have to continue to increase its spending.
Jens Stoltenberg speaks before a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Wednesday Photo: JOHN THYS/AFP
Promises of increased defense spending The figure has risen across NATO member countries since Russia's invasion of Ukraine amid growing fears that the war could spread to Europe.
This has led to an «unprecedented 11 percent increase,» the chief said. NATO Secretary.
In 2014, when the spending target was set at the Cardiff summit, only three countries met it — the UK, the US and Greece.
Watching the race for the White House
After Trump's backlash during the campaign, NATO diplomats acknowledged at a Feb. 10 rally that the only way to secure his support if he wins the presidency for a second time is to continue to increase spending.
The former US president had previously threatened withdraw America from the alliance. alliance unless its European members do more to defend themselves.
If he wins the White House race, the alliance will focus more on threats posed by China and terrorism to deal with his opposition, one said from sources.
Donald Trump's recent remarks have increased pressure on NATO members to spend more. Photo: EVAN VUCCI/AP
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who will step down from his domestic post when a new government is formed, is seen as a critical part of managing Trump's potential return to power.
Britain, Germany and the US have privately expressed support for Mr Rutte to become NATO's next secretary-general, sources told the Telegraph.
Internally, only Hungary and Turkey are seen as potential adversaries, but this does not represent poses an insurmountable challenge, insiders added.
Mr Rutte is considered quite experienced on the world stage, having held his post in the Netherlands for more than a decade.
Alliance They had previously expressed a desire to hire a woman -secretary-general, but a man is now seen as having a better chance of standing up to what is perceived as Trump's misogyny.
The Netherlands also operates a host of American-developed weapons systems, including the F-35 fighter jet and a surface-to-air missile system «Patriots» who will maintain transatlantic ties.
Mr Rutte is also seen as the strongest candidate, given his reluctance to compete with the French president. Emmanuel Macron calls for a more autonomous European Union defense infrastructure that relies less on NATO and Washington.
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