"NATO Allies Struggle to Meet Spending Target, New Data Reveals"

New data shows that only 11 out of NATO's 31 allies are expected to meet the alliance's defense investment target this year, an improvement from last year but still falling short of NATO's goal. Europe and Canada are projected to increase defense spending by over 8 percent compared to last year. NATO leaders will discuss this issue at their annual summit in Vilnius, where they are expected to make 2 percent of economic output the minimum expectation for defense spending. Several countries, including Poland, the U.S., and the UK, are set to exceed the 2 percent target, while Luxembourg, Belgium, and Spain are expected to spend the least. France and Germany fall below the 2 percent threshold. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted the progress made in defense spending, with an 8.3 percent increase across European allies and Canada in 2023.