Trump wants 5% Nato defence spending target, Europe told

Financial Times ^ | 12/20/2024 | Lucy Fisher in London, Henry Foy in Brussels and Felicia Schwartz in Washington

[marcusmaximus]

Donald Trump’s team has told European officials that the incoming US president will demand Nato member states increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, but plans to continue supplying military aid to Ukraine.

During his White House campaign, Trump vowed to cut off aid to Ukraine, force Kyiv into immediate peace talks, and leave Nato allies undefended if they failed to spend enough on defence — spooking European capitals.

But in a boost for allies deeply concerned over their ability to support and protect Ukraine without Washington’s backing, Trump now intends to maintain US military supplies to Kyiv after his inauguration, according to three other people briefed on the discussions with western officials.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Trump already shuffling the poker deck. 😏

[marcusmaximus]

Art of the Deal.

[FreedomPoster]

Could be part of a negotiating stance for getting Putin to the peace table.

[Phoenix8]

Command and Control. By Scholsser
Page 203

…“NATO had agreed to create a 54 division army….the European members had failed to supply the necessary troops”.

Is that enough?

[marcusmaximus]

Exactly.

[Phoenix8]

The agreement was made in 1950, the USA gave up in 1952 and started looking at a tactical nuke strategy.

[FreedomPoster]

Bingo.

[bgill]

No, I’m not going to subscribe to read the link.

[KeyLargo]

Exactly

[KarlInOhio]

We’re at about three percent, but maybe more if you moved all defense spending under the DoD. For example move the entire CIA, Coast Guard and Border Patrol under Defense.

[ansel12]

“”””that started the nuclear arms race in earnest.””””

Did Lemay win the argument or did Eisenhower decide on tactical nukes?

[Gay State Conservative]

Art of the deal. Yes,that's probably his strategy...just as 25% tariffs with Canada is probably a negotiating ploy. Get them to agree to raise their current spending by 1% now and then a bit more in a couple of years. The Brits and the French have a few nukes...which,hopefully,are in good working order.

[DFG]

Get the US out of NATO.

[House Atreides]

“ Donald Trump’s team has told European officials that the incoming US president will demand Nato member states increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, but plans to continue supplying military aid to Ukraine.”
***********************************************************

Well, that’s bad news….. for all the Ukrainian men who will consequently be killed and maimed.

And, of course, for the AMERICAN TAXPAYERS.

[ETCM]

Over 2/3 of NATO is now meeting or exceeding the 2% goal. The US will not spend 5%, short of a major war. It isn’t politically possible. Currently, we are the third largest spender in NATO (by GDP) behind Poland and Estonia. And much of our spending has nothing to do with NATO, but is for other military goals, mostly in the Pacific and Middle East.

Now Europe, IMO SHOULD be spending 3%-5% for the next 5 years to jumpstart weapons purchases/production. Once they have sufficient stockpiles of both offensive and defensive weapons, then they can cut back to 2%-3%. THEY are the ones threatened by Russia. Weakness invites aggression, and Europe has become weak. If Europe is strong, Russia is not a threat. As part of their spending, Europe should develop their own nuclear deterrent. France and UK’s nuclear forces are a joke.

The NATO members not meeting the 2% goal/standard are:

Croatia: 1.81%
Portugal: 1.55%
Italy: 1.49%
Canada: 1.37%
Belgium: 1.30%
Luxembourg: 1.29%
Slovenia: 1.29%
Spain: 1.28%

[marcusmaximus]

Funny how you pretend hordes of Russians aren’t being killed in Putin’s botched invasion.

[bert]

Yesterday was the highest Russian casualty rate in the war to date. The number was 2,200. I don’t know if that includes the hapless north Koreans who didn’t know what drones wre and certainly had no fear of them just minutes before they died.

[House Atreides]

“ Funny how you pretend hordes of Russians aren’t being killed in Putin’s botched invasion.”
**********************************************

Well, they are. I don’t like to see the deaths, maiming and destruction on either side. I just don’t want my taxes going to promote the carnage.

[marcusmaximus]

I saw that about the 2,200. It’s strange how much the Putin supporters cry about dead Ukrainians yet have no sympathy for the Russian dead.

[DesertRhino]

NATO countries need smaller militaries. They don’t need anything beyond search and rescue, border security and anti-terrorism forces. They should be prohibited from having tanks, combat aircraft, artillery, warships and missiles.