Many countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are increasing defense spending at a very slow pace, despite the request for each state to reach an investment volume equal to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) as soon as possible. In 2023, only 11 allies out of the total of 30 exceed this threshold. Situation that worries the leaders of the Atlantic Alliance, considering the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.

"In Europe, the 2% target is being met almost exclusively along NATO's eastern border. Member countries further west are ramping up defense spending only cautiously", says Marcel Schlepper, military expert at the Institute for Economic Research (Ifo). In fact, while in 2023 Poland rose to 4.3% (it was 2.2% in 2021) with an extra 17 billion euros, France remains stationary at 1.9%, even if close to the target.

With 3.3%, the United States is in second place in terms of spending rate, even though overall it is the country that invests most in the world in the defense. Greece follows with 3.1%, the Baltic countries with Estonia (2.9%) and Lithuania (2.6%), the new member Finland with 2.4% and the United Kingdom with 2.2% ( slightly down). In 2023 Germany will increase spending by +0.1% compared to 2021, reaching 1.6%.