NATO countries understand the need to spend more than 2% of GDP on defense, but the new spending target will only become clear next year after discussions among Alliance members.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated this on Sunday in Finland, as reported by Politico.
According to Mitsotakis, NATO nations recognize the necessity of allocating more funds for defense.
“Once we have discussions with the new U.S. president, it will become clear what figure we will agree upon within NATO,” Mitsotakis said.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, wants NATO allies to more than double their defense spending compared to the current target of 2% of GDP, according to reports by Financial Times and The Telegraph.
Reports suggest that Trump’s team has informed European officials that the new U.S. president expects NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Mitsotakis declined to specify a concrete figure when asked by a journalist.
“It will be more than 2%. But let’s not name a specific number, because all of us have our national considerations, and we must not forget that we operate within a European framework,” he said.
“We must examine all means of collectively advancing European defense,” Mitsotakis added.
“We still need to convince our transatlantic partner that we take our security seriously, as we need our transatlantic partner within NATO,” the Greek Prime Minister emphasized.
Earlier this month, NATO’s new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, stated that Alliance members must spend “significantly more” than 2% of GDP on defense.
