NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a media conference at the International Media Center ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, Monday. [Hussein Malla/AP Photo]
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has demanded that the allies put forward “clear, concrete and credible plans” to reach the organization’s spending targets at its annual summit in Ankara.
Rutte made the remarks in the Turkish capital come ahead of a two-day summit starting on Tuesday that comes at a time crucial time for the alliance with the United States scaling down its security role in Europe. Washington has been pressing allies to shoulder more of the spending burden.
The 32 nations agreed last year to invest 5% of their gross domestic product on defense – 3.5% on their defense budgets and 1.5% on roads, bridges and ports so troops and equipment can move faster in times of conflict.
Spain endorsed the goal but said that it could fulfill NATO’s security requirements without spending so much. Some countries are still struggling to meet the alliance’s old target of 2% of GDP.
