The Financial Times writes that defense spending in the NATO countries of Europe increased for the first time in 10 years because of concerns about Russian aggression and the migration crisis in the Mediterranean area. While the progress already achieved will be jeopardized in the event of withdrawal from the EU the UK, the newspaper said, citing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“We face the uncertainties before us more threats than all the past generation, and we need unity, you need strength, need stability,” he says. – The UK has the biggest military potential of NATO in Europe, it spends more on defense. In the Alliance she is second only to the United States. A strong Britain and a strong Europe is necessary for unity and stability.”
Last year the European members of NATO spent $ 253 billion on defense, and the US – 618 billion. Earlier, NATO countries promised to spend on defense at least 2% of its GDP. Under this rule, they should be allocated together with another 100 billion for the needs of their armies.
In the years 1985-89 European NATO countries were isolated in their defense budgets on average 3.1% of GDP. Within 10 years after the end of the cold war this figure reached 2% and declined only at the beginning of the XXI century.
The official figures on defense expenditures of NATO countries for 2016 yet, but some States have already publicly announced a significant increase in allocations to the defence budget. Most of all, defense spending will increase in the Baltic States. In 2016 this section of the budget of Latvia will grow by 60%, Lithuania – 35%, and Estonia and Poland – 9%. The defence budget of the UK is also growing. The government in London promised to spend on defense is not less than the previously promised 2% of GDP.
Falling defence spending in Europe has long been of concern to NATO and the United States. This issue was discussed in the framework of the election campaign in the United States: Donald trump called the Alliance too expensive and outdated and accused Europe that lives on American money.
At the NATO Wales summit in 2014, held on the background of the annexation of Crimea by Russia, the countries-members of NATO promised to reduce their military spending and to achieve financing of their armies at the rate of 2% of GDP within 10 years.
Real increase in defense spending in Europe has surprised many in the NATO, as the experts did not expect such developments against the background of economic difficulties on the continent, writes the Financial Times.
