Eighteen NATO member states will reach the 2% of GDP defence allocation target in 2024, the NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg announced on Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers. According to Reuters, he also said that EU member states will invest a combined USD 380 bln in defence this year. The decision to earmark at least 2% of GDP to defence dates back to 2006, but only some member states have reached this target. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, NATO member countries reiterated this commitment. Romania has channelled over 2% of its GDP for defence for several years, and after the start of the war in Ukraine it has committed to invest 2.5% of GDP in Army equipment.
