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NATO's eastern flank ramps up defense spending to Soviet-era levels — Bloomberg

09 October 2024 12:20 (UTC +04:00)

The total defense spending of the countries making up NATO’s eastern flank significantly increased after Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine, reaching $70 bln in 2024, Bloomberg said, APA reports citing TASS.

The agency points out that 14 NATO countries have ramped up defense spending to a level not seen since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Poland, where defense expenditures reached 4.12% of GDP this year, tops the list, followed by Estonia (3.45% of GDP), Latvia (3.15%), Greece (3.08%) and Lithuania (2.85%).

Meanwhile, the defense ministries of the countries on NATO’s eastern flank note that rising defense spending means a higher burden on taxpayers. "Will it (Europe - ed.) be willing to tighten its belt and tell its citizens that, for the next few years, or even a decade, the standard of living might not improve because we need to prioritize our security?" General Daniel Zmeko, chief of staff for Slovakia’s armed forces, told Bloomberg.

Defense officials in eastern NATO member states emphasize that after upgrading military equipment, their countries faced a lack of skilled personnel. In addition, the region currently does not have enough warehouses to store the increased amount of weapons.