NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the need to increase defense spending by member states above 2% of GDP, recalling that this was exactly what Donald Trump, who won the US presidential election when he was president for the first time, encouraged, UNN reports with reference to Sky TG24.
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"First of all, of course, I want to congratulate President Trump once again on his re-election. It was really a huge success for him, including winning the House and the Senate. I look forward to working with him again. When he was president, he was the one at NATO who encouraged us to get above 2%, and now thanks to him and NATO, if you take away the United States numbers for a moment, we are above 2%, I think that's because of him, his success, and we have to do more. We know that today," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said upon arrival at the European Political Community Summit.
"The Americans elected him, he is the president. I have worked very well with him for four years. He is very clear about what he wants. He understands that we have to deal with each other to reach common ground, and I think we can do that," he added.
"It is clear that Allies should allocate much more than 2% of GDP to defense," Rutte emphasized.
According to him, debate will be needed to decide whether this should be a "common goal" or whether to introduce "different percentages for each country, but it is clear that we will not achieve our goals if 2%" of GDP will be allocated to military spending.
NATO Secretary General Rutte says he looks forward to working with Trump06.11.24, 10:56