U.S. Defense Secretary Urges Some NATO Allies: Military Spending Should Increase

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, June 19 - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in Brussels on the 18th that many NATO allies have made significant progress in fulfilling their commitments to increase defense spending, but some countries still fall short. He again urged NATO allies to take on more responsibility for "defending Europe."

During the NATO defense ministers' meeting that day, Austin stated that "some countries still need to do more" in terms of increasing defense spending to meet NATO's established goals, and the U.S. will express this stance through "private or public channels." He said, "Friends should be honest with each other."

During Donald Trump's presidency, he continuously pressured NATO allies to increase defense spending, previously demanding that countries reach 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in annual defense spending. In June 2025, NATO member country leaders decided at a summit in The Hague, Netherlands, to raise that target to "5% of GDP by 2035." A NATO official revealed to AFP that three European countries are likely to fall short of the 2% GDP defense spending this year, specifically naming Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

At the meeting on the 18th, Austin mentioned the so-called "NATO 3.0" vision, calling on NATO allies to play a leadership role in defending Europe and to push NATO to transform into a "truly tough military alliance." In February of this year, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Ely Ratner first introduced the concept of "NATO 3.0," advocating for a NATO built on "partnership rather than dependency," with the U.S. promoting European leadership in NATO's conventional defense.

Austin stated that the U.S. defense budget for fiscal year 2027 is approximately $1.5 trillion, with the primary purpose of "protecting U.S. interests," while European allies "must be willing to step up and invest heavily in homeland defense in Europe."

The U.S. European Command stated on the 3rd that the U.S. has informed allies that it will "adjust its contributions to NATO forces" based on the 2026 defense strategy and the Department of Defense's vision for "NATO 3.0." Additionally, according to a report by The New York Times on the 12th, based on statements from two senior European officials and a written document provided by the U.S. to NATO allies earlier this month, the U.S. will significantly reduce the number of fighter jets deployed in NATO countries in Europe, while also decreasing the deployment of aircraft carriers, warships, and submarines in European allies. (Wang Yixin)