NATO leader pledges ‘new commitment’ in alliance defense spending

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg promised a “new commitment” in support for Ukraine and pledged to “sustain and step up” defense spending across the alliance.

Stoltenberg said at a Tuesday meeting with President Biden in the Oval Office that he expects members of the western security alliance to reach a minimum commitment in defense spending of 2 percent of GDP, or the economic output for a country.

“It has to be a minimum of what allies have to invest in our shared security,” he said.

Defense spending across the alliance increased last year after Russia invaded Ukraine, but most of the 31 members have not reached the 2 percent of GDP target.

NATO released a report this year that showed only seven nations reached the GDP target: the United States, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, the U.K., Estonia and Greece.

Stoltenberg’s meeting with Biden comes ahead of the July 11-12 NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where world leaders in the alliance are expected to discuss GDP spending and the war in Ukraine, along with other security interests.

Biden on Tuesday praised the strength of the security alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“At our summit in Lithuania next month we are going to be building on that momentum, working to ensure allies [spend] enough on defense at 2 percent, not just as the height but the bottom line,” Biden said.

The U.S. on Tuesday also announced another roughly $300 million dollar package for Ukraine, which launched its counteroffensive this month to reclaim territory occupied by Russian forces in the southern Donetsk region and southeastern Zaporizhizhia region.

Ukrainian forces have made small but incremental progress, claiming to have captured at least seven towns in the east.

Stoltenberg said the support provided to Ukraine from the security alliance is “making a difference” on the battlefield.

“Ukrainians are making progress, making advances,” he said. “It’s still early days, but what we do know is the more land Ukraine is able to liberate, the stronger hand they will have at the negotiation table.”

Both Stoltenberg and Biden were also expected to discuss the accession of Finland earlier this year into the security alliance and the obstacles facing Sweden’s inclusion.

Turkey has opposed Sweden’s membership over concerns due to the nation’s alleged ties to extremist groups.

Stoltenberg on Tuesday said he was looking forward to welcoming Sweden into the alliance “as soon as possible.”

Stoltenberg, who has held the secretary-general job since 2014, is expected to step down at the end of his term in September. Alliance members are currently looking for his replacement.