Reuters. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday (June 17), that more than 20 NATO members will meet the alliance's target of allocating at least 2% of GDP to defense this year, highlighting how allies have raised military spending since Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Stoltenberg was in Washington for preparations for next month's NATO summit in the U.S. capital.
Meeting with reporters after his appearance, Stoltenberg said the trend in increased military spending by NATO members was triggered by Russia's seizure of Crimea in 2014.
NATO defense spending has become highly contentious in recent years, particularly as former U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Europeans of spending too little on their own security and relying on the United States for protection.
Defense spending by many European nations has risen sharply since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and NATO officials have been keen to stress that its European members are now stepping up to the plate.
