The US will 'no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship' regarding the war in Ukraine, Pete Hegseth said last week as he declared that fellow NATO members should spend more.
The article discusses NATO's defense spending under scrutiny following concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump may withdraw support for the alliance. NATO members are expected to spend 2% of their GDP on defense, a target set in 2014, though only 23 of 32 members met this goal by 2024. The U.S. and Germany are the top contributors to NATO's budget, while smaller nations like North Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro contribute minimally. Trump and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have criticized European allies for not contributing enough, with Hegseth warning that the U.S. would no longer tolerate an "imbalanced relationship." Some European nations, including Poland and Estonia, spend more than 3% of their GDP on defense, while others, such as Spain, Canada, Italy, and Portugal, fall short of the 2% target. The article highlights the growing pressure on NATO members to increase defense spending amid concerns over Russian aggression and the future of the alliance.
