NATO Leaders Discuss Increased Defense Spending

NATO leaders and an EU representative gathered at the North-South Summit in Finland to discuss increasing defense spending in light of ongoing Russian aggression and the war in Ukraine. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that the historical 2% GDP guideline for defense spending is likely becoming obsolete, hinting that nations will need to allocate more resources. While the specifics of new spending targets were not finalized, discussions included a potential push from President-elect Donald Trump for NATO countries to raise their spending to 5%. Leaders emphasized the necessity of European nations taking more responsibility for their defense to reduce reliance on the U.S., especially in the context of Trump's administration. The summit also highlighted the rising defense expenditures among EU states, with 22 countries increasing their budgets in recent years. Overall, there is a consensus that to effectively counter the Russian threat, significant investment in defense capabilities is required.