NATO chief backs Trump as pressure builds on member states to increase defense spending

by Dramelin 3:30 AM 0 comments

"We do reduce defense spending in times when tensions are going down, we have to be able to increase defense spending when tensions are going up as they are now," Stoltenberg told reporters on Tuesday. Even though such figures were slightly above expectations, Stolenberg told reporters the momentum has to continue. Defense ministers from NATO are under pressure to raise contributions to the security group as conflicts grow across the world and as the new U.S. administration urges more compliance from member states. According to Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of NATO, the group faces "great security challenges" and as a result there needs to be "fair burden-sharing" and higher defense spending. NATO data confirmed Tuesday showed that last year spending increased in real terms by 3.8 percent among European allies and Canada.