Croatia to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP by 2030
PHOTO CAPTION: A Croatian Army Special Forces Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) is seen during close air support (CAS) control training with U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighter jets as part of Exercise Trojan Footprint 22 near Slunj, Croatia, May 11, 2022. (U.S. Army Photo by Warrant Officer Patrik Orcutt via DVIDS)
SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Croatia plans to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and to 3% by 2030, it said on Tuesday, the latest European member of NATO to pledge higher military spending amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Balkan nation currently spends 2% of its economic output on defence.
"Croatia is intensively working on the development of its defence industry and further cooperation with its allies," Defence Minister Ivan Anusic was quoted as saying by his ministry at the opening of the Adriatic Sea Defence & Aerospace Exhibition and Conference in the capital Zagreb.
Anusic said that Croatia's armed forces were negotiating with Germany to buy 50 Leopard tanks that should arrive in 2028, part of a push across Europe to boost military capabilities amid concerns Washington is stepping back from defending the region.
(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic. Editing by Alison Williams and Mark Potter)
