NATO's Rutte calls for raising defense spending above 2% of GDP

PHOTO CAPTION: A Belgian sniper engages a target under the cover of darkness at the International Special Training Center’s Urban Sniper Course, June 3, 2021, Hohenfels Germany. (U.S. Army Photo by Warrant Officer Patrik Orcutt via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

LISBON (Reuters) -NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the alliance members on Monday to step up their defence spending beyond their common goal of 2% of GDP, which had been set a decade ago and is now considered too low due to new challenges posed by Russia.

Rutte spoke in Lisbon alongside Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who only reiterated Portugal's pledge to meet its 2% goal by 2029. In 2023, the country spent 1.5% of its GDP on its NATO commitments.

"We know that the goal of 2%, now set a decade ago, will not be enough to meet the challenges of tomorrow," Rutte said.

"To keep NATO strong, we must, however, continue to adapt and to guarantee our security in the future, we also need to ramp up our efforts now. That also means we need to spend more on our defence," he added. 

 (Reporting by Sergio Goncalves, writing by Andrei Khalip, editing by Inti Landauro)