Operation Hug
NATO is preparing for Donald Trump's return to the White House. He announces that 18 of the 31 members will meet the 2 percent target — and it's okay if his biggest critic considers this a success.
Jens Stoltenberg dropped the name Donald Trump — but didn't hide who he was referring to.
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Jens Stoltenberg avoids the name of the most successful NATO critic of recent years, and it's about the real person. But the secretary general of the defense alliance this Wednesday in Brussels made no secret about who the addressee of his messages was and what statements he was reacting to, which should not go unanswered from NATO headquarters. Donald Trump, the former and possibly next president of the United States, declared in a few sentences earlier in the week that NATO's alliance promise was meaningless. Stoltenberg says, “We don't stand up for each other, we don't protect each other, and that undermines the security of all of us.”
His response to the unnamed person has two broad parts. The first of these is a set of current statistics that, without Trump's comments, he would not have presented this Wednesday before a meeting of NATO defense ministers. They are worried about Ukrainian supply issues and have better things to do than deal with candidate Trump's rhetoric. But he had no choice when he shocked everyone with the words that NATO partners had failed to fulfill their financial obligations. Not wanting to defend against Russia.
18 of the 31 NATO countries have met the 2 percent target
So: “The criticisms we hear are not primarily about NATO,” says the Secretary-General. “This is about NATO allies not spending enough in NATO. That's a valid point that many US administrations have already made. The good news is that the remaining allies are doing exactly that: spending more on defense.
Stoltenberg said this year, 18 of the 31 NATO countries are expected to meet the 2 percent target. It stipulates that defense spending by alliance partners must correspond to two percent of a country's economic output. Only in July 2023 did NATO restructure this from an unrestricted guideline to a fixed lower limit that members would “permanently commit to”.
NATO partners in Europe will meet this minimum on average by at least 2024. Last year, European NATO countries and Canada spent 11 percent more on defense, Stoltenberg said, adding that overall defense spending has increased by more than $600 billion since the 2 percent target was created in 2014.
“A strong NATO is also important for the US”
In the second part of his response, Stoltenberg recalled the foundation of NATO. The reason why the Defense Alliance even exists and why it has been able to succeed for so long. 75 years of alliance promises, deterrence, peacekeeping, 75 years of no attack on a NATO partner. Stoltenberg says, “A strong NATO is also important for America, because it makes America stronger.” America would never have fought a war alone; From the Korean War to the Afghanistan mission, NATO allies have fought “side by side” with American soldiers. The alliance was announced for the first and only time under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The possibility of a new coalition event – an actual military attack on a NATO country – has increased significantly with Russia's war against Ukraine. With new doubts about NATO's integration, it will not sink again. Stoltenberg, referring to the largest NATO exercise in decades, called “Steadfast Defender” involving some 90,000 soldiers from all countries, will ensure “there is no room for misjudgment in Moscow about our commitment to the defense of all allies.” 31 allied states participate and Sweden participates. “This is a clear demonstration of our capabilities, because we can never take peace for granted,” Stoltenberg said.
Preparation for “Steadfast Defender”: Military vehicles are loaded in Marchwood, Great Britain.
Good pictures
In NATO's biggest exercise since the end of the Cold War, NATO is rehearsing to redeploy troops after a Russian attack in the east of NATO's territory. The British vehicles were shipped to Poland from a military port near Southampton on Tuesday.
More than 80,000 American soldiers in Europe
However, these capabilities are dependent on US support, at least in the medium term. According to the latest NATO annual report, the US will account for two-thirds of all defense spending for NATO by 2022. The US armed forces are Europe's central security guarantor.
They are represented on the continent by more than 80,000 soldiers whose dedication and firepower no one knows how to replace. America's nuclear capabilities in Europe do the rest. The mere theoretical possibility that Trump could continue his NATO sabotage for a second time further shakes Europe's security.
Trump should be allowed to sell the increase as a victory
In this sense, Stoltenberg's comments on Wednesday could also be interpreted as the beginning of a new Trump-warming strategy. The Republican presidential candidate could point to massive increases in defense spending by NATO partners, especially during his first term from 2017 to 2021. The upward trend in defense spending continues, meaning NATO countries will have reached the 2 percent target in a year.
If Trump returns to the White House, one of the most important tasks for Stoltenberg's successor will be to speak a language that Donald Trump understands. Currently, interim Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has the best chance of getting Stoltenberg next fall. Many in Brussels believe that Trump will be dealt with properly.
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