NATO leaders' agreement to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 seems like problem-solving in very relaxed atmosphere - expert

RIGA - The agreement reached at the NATO Summit in the Hague to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035 seems like problem-solving in a very relaxed atmosphere, Janis Garisons, Chairman of the Board of the maritime drone manufacturing company NEWT21 and former State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Defense, told LETA.

Commenting on the decisions taken at this week's NATO summit, Garisons said that the good news is that the member states managed to maintain unity, and most importantly, the United States' interest in NATO.

US President Donald Trump's statements about collective defense at the summit raised hope, although it is clear that everything will depend on the Europeans' willingness to invest in their own defense.

Although the agreement on raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP was most probably reached under strong pressure from Trump, it is nevertheless a significant and positive step in boosting European countries' defense capabilities and the development of the military industry.

At the same time, it is hard not to notice that, with the US leadership lost and NATO finding itself in a situation where most European countries' security interests are starting to differ from the US' interests, the Alliance has lost its driving force and ability to focus on the most pressing and urgent objectives.

"Reaching the 5 percent in ten years, when the security situation on NATO's borders is as threatening as at any time since the Cold War, seems like problem-solving in a very relaxed atmosphere. The number of air defense systems and units at Europe's disposal that will be able to protect European countries and populations directly from a Russian attack will depend on this percentage," the expert stressed.

In the current situation, it was obviously difficult to expect a common NATO strategy against Russia or the integration of Ukraine into European security structures, which would be critical for peace in Europe in the near future, not in ten years' time. But such a strategy would be necessary now, because Ukraine's existence is critical to European security, Garisons said.

At the same time, the expert acknowledged that the mentioning of the Russian threat in the summit's declaration, alongside the need to support Ukraine, is essential in the current situation.

"Overall, it seems that the emphasis is now on strengthening the military capabilities of individual member states, which is essential. All available time should be used to strengthen the military capabilities of Latvia and other border countries as much as possible to counter potential Russian aggression," the expert stressed.

As reported, the NATO Summit in The Hague, at which member states expressed iron-clad commitment to mutual defense and pledged to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP concluded on Wednesday.