31 allies have committed to a target of spending 2% of their output on defence but not all have done so individually
MUNICH: Norway is “ready to stand up and be counted” on defence spending ahead of a NATO Washington summit in July, the Nordic country’s prime minister told Reuters on Saturday, adding that Oslo was preparing a new long-tem defence plan
The country last year set a target for the first time to raise its defence spending to at least 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2026, in line with a long-held goal among members of the NATO alliance.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump shocked Europeans earlier this month by saying he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies that did not spend enough.
The 31 allies have committed to a target of spending 2% of their output on defence but not all have done so individually.
Norway’s spending on defence as a share of overall economic activity declined following the end of the Cold War, but the war in Ukraine has shown the need for a stronger military. Norway shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. It has never been at war with its eastern neighbour.