Trump Urges NATO to Double Military-Spending Target to 4% of GDP
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U.S. leader pressures allies while bashing Germany for its military spending and support for a major gas deal with Russia.
President Donald Trump pressured allies to double their military spending target to 4% of GDP, while questioning NATO’s value and bashing Germany for supporting a gas deal with Russia.
After attacking North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders for months for not meeting a 2% spending target, Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that amount was too low.
Following his proposal, Mr. Trump and NATO’s 28 other leaders agreed to a joint summit declaration that recommitted them to moving toward the 2% target by 2024 and welcomed progress made in raising military spending.
Mr. Trump’s remarks on spending and his attacks on Germany created a strained and at times explosive summit, dashing the hopes of diplomats and some U.S. officials for a meeting that would showcase transatlantic unity ahead of the American leader’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev described a tense response among leaders. “Everybody asked themselves how serious Trump is about the 4%,” he said.
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