Here are the 20 Nato countries that Trump threatens not to defend: Italy is included
Only 11 out of 31 countries spend 2% of GDP on defence. Trump has reiterated that in the event of a Russian attack he would not defend them until they reach that target
3' min read
3' min read
It has long been one of his fixed nails. Those who do not spend enough on defence as agreed in NATO do not deserve the support of allies. In a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Donald Trump reiterated this in a very rude manner, as is his style: he said that he would not hesitate to "encourage" states like Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" of NATO countries that do not fulfil their financial commitments, dusting off his warhorse against countries reluctant to increase their defence contribution to 2% of GDP.
A tirade that the White House of Joe Biden - his opponent in November's presidential race - described as 'frightening and insane', while Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pointed out that 'NATO remains ready to defend all its allies. Any hint that allies will not defend each other,' he warned, 'puts all our security, including that of the United States, at risk and puts American and European soldiers at greater risk'.
The 2014 Summit
What exactly is the former US president referring to? At the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales, NATO member states had pledged to increase their defence spending to the target of 2% of GDP. Commitments reaffirmed in Warsaw in 2016 with the so-called Defence Investment Pledge.
As a document of the Chamber of Deputies from last October explains, the countries estimated by NATO itself to have reached this threshold in 2023 are only eleven (out of 31).
Those who fulfil their commitments
.In addition to the US (3.49%), Poland (3.9%), Greece (3.01%), Estonia (2.73%), Lithuania (2.54%), Finland (2.45%), Romania (2.44%), Hungary (2.43%), Latvia (2.27%), the UK (2.07%) and Slovakia (2.03%) are in line with the 2% target.
