A group of NATO leaders and a European Union representative gathered in Finland to discuss defense spending in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the incoming Trump administration. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that the era of spending 2% of a nation’s GDP on defense is likely over, but did not specify a new target. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agreed that more needs to be invested in defense spending, citing Russia as the primary security threat in Europe.
While the leaders fell short of specifying a new target, they emphasized the need for European nations to take greater responsibility for their own security and to be less dependent on the US being “the main sponsor” of NATO’s defense. Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni urged caution in dealing with rumors surrounding the incoming Trump administration, stating that it’s essential to understand the real will of the new US president before making any decisions.
NATO leaders are currently revising their defense budgets in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The summit’s attendees stressed the need for increased defense spending to ensure the alliance’s collective security and deter Russian aggression.