NATO ministers push for faster, stronger defence spending as global security threatens

Following the NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Secretary General Mark Rutte highlighted the substantial growth in defence spending by NATO Allies and Canada since 2014, with a remarkable increase of over $700 billion.

In 2024 alone, European Allies and Canada committed $485 billion to defence, marking a 20 per cent rise compared to the previous year, Caliber.Az reports per the alliance.

Despite these significant investments, Rutte emphasized that more must be done, and more urgently. He stressed the need for continued and accelerated investment in both defence spending and production capabilities to effectively address emerging global security challenges.

"With a full two-thirds of Allies spending at least 2 per cent of their GDP on defence, but we need to do more, much more. And we need to do it faster," Rutte remarked during the meeting. He acknowledged that the discussions had underscored a shared recognition of the need for further increases in spending, with several Allies announcing substantial hikes during the meeting.

The Secretary General also focused on the necessity of ramping up defence production to match the growing investments.

"We have already seen a significant increase in defence production across the Alliance in recent years. We are producing more and faster than at any time in decades. But we can and must do more."

Rutte emphasized that NATO must adopt a wartime mindset and ensure that industry aligns with this approach. While NATO's defence industry has made strides in improving production capacity, Rutte stressed that more can be done to meet the growing demand for military equipment.

As part of the discussions, NATO Allies agreed on an updated action plan aimed at strengthening defence industries on both sides of the Atlantic. This initiative is designed to enhance production capabilities and create more jobs in both Europe and North America, ultimately fortifying the Alliance's collective security.

In addition, the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting took place, with Ukrainian officials joining NATO representatives to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas also participated in the discussions, reaffirming NATO’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s defence amid the ongoing conflict.

By Vafa Guliyeva