A recent NATO report has revealed that European allies and partners spent 2.38 percent of their GDP on defence in 2024, which is just 5 percent away from the target set by the alliance. This marks a significant increase from the 2.08 percent spent in 2023 and the 1.44 percent spent ten years ago. However, only six European allies hit the 2% target, including Poland, Estonia, Greece, the United Kingdom, Latvia, and the Czech Republic. France has also pledged to reach 2% by 2030 and increase defence spending by 50 billion Euros. Canada and Germany were among the countries that saw a decrease in their defence spending, while Denmark and the Netherlands exceeded the target but fell below it the year before. The report also estimates that if spending trends continue, four more allies would reach the 2% target by 2028. The United States has urged European countries to do more to support the alliance’s collective defence efforts since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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