Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has defended Washington’s demand for increased defense spending by NATO members and criticized a „freelancer“ mentality among European countries. NATO cannot allow itself to be a “parasite,” said Esper yesterday. The alliance was based on „mutual respect, shared values and a willingness to fight for it“. There should be „no discounts,“ he added.
In 2014, the NATO countries decided to increase their military and armaments spending to two percent of economic output by 2024. However, only nine of the 29 NATO members reach the two percent target this year.
US President Donald Trump has been demanding higher defense spending from European NATO members for years. He demands that all allies spend „at least two percent“ of economic output in this area by 2024. Trump regularly criticized, in particular, economically strong Germany, which can be protected at the expense of the United States.
