Ottawa wonders about the schedule to increase defense expenses dear to Trump

Ms. Nevertheless, Anand is present in The Hague with Prime Minister Mark Carney for meetings on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Wednesday, during which leaders of the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) should decide whether or not to raise the expenses of the members of the alliance 2 % to 5 % of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Asked about the acceptance of this proposal by Canada. Similarly, Anand said that her country had always supported the expenses of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake.

The real question is the calendarShe told journalists in The Hague.

She added that some allies proposed a 2029 deadline to achieve this goal.

We would like to see stages along the way to re -examine whether this approach. Moreover, by increasing national expenses at ottawa wonders about schedule increase this rate, is the right one.

At a conference call with journalists in Ottawa on Tuesday, Anand said that he would be imprudent to discuss Canada’s position publicly before the leaders of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake Discuss it at the negotiation table, but she added that questions remain regarding the flexibility of demand by 5 %.

Any new expenditure directive must be adopted unanimously of the 32 member states of theOrganization of. Therefore, the Northern Atlantic TreatyTakeand no member is currently close to this objective.

The American Secretary of Defense. Consequently, Pete Hegseth, and the secretary general of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTakeMark Rutte, both said he expects that the members of the Alliance undertake to achieve a new objective of 5 % of the gross domestic productCommence Dedicated to defense, up in relation to 2 % currently.

However. Therefore, US President Donald Trump ottawa wonders about schedule increase said this figure should not apply to the United States, but only to their allies.

The United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Germany were all three of them to reach the 5 %target. In addition, The countries of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake The closest to the borders of Ukraine. Furthermore, Russia and its Bélarusian ally also committed to doing so.

Ottawa wonders about schedule increase

A plan that is not unanimous

But not everyone agrees. Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Sunday that Spain had entered into an agreement with theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake (new window) To be excluded from the new expenditure objective. Like Canada, Spain has long been struggling to reach ottawa wonders about schedule increase the target of 2 % and has rejected the new proposal.

On Tuesday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico suggested that his country would have an interest in adopting neutrality. He also published a statement saying that the new objective is totally absurd.

Rutte warned on Monday that no country could escape this objective. that the progress made to the new objective would be assessed in four years.

The plan that Mr. Rutte should present at the summit provides for a certain room for maneuver to help the allies reach this. high figure.

He would hire members to devote 3.5 % of their ottawa wonders about schedule increase gross domestic productCommence Annual to essential defense needs, such as planes and other weapons, and 1.5 % in related areas, such as infrastructure, cybersecurity and industry.

L’Organization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake set the current objective of 2 % in 2014 and. this year, for the first time, the 32 member countries should reach it. In 2014. when the current objective of 2 % was set, only three members of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake reached it: the United States, the United Kingdom and Greece.

Canada lagging behind

Canada’s defense expenses (new window) did not reach 5 % of the gross domestic productCommence since the 1950s. TheOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake estimates that Canada spent $ 41 billion in 2024 for the defense, or 1.37 % of the gross domestic productCommence. In 2014, Canada devoted $ 20.1 billion to it, or 1.01 % of the gross domestic productCommence.

Last year. Canada said it would be able to reach 2 % by 2032, but Carney said earlier this month would be this year.

On Monday in Brussels. he also announced that Canada had officially signed a new defense and security pact (new window) With the European Union (EU). paving the way for defense supply agreements between Canada and European countries.

Anand said that this new partnership would expand the industrial defense base of Canada.

Questioned about his concerns concerning the previous derogatory comments of President Trump with regard to theOrganization. of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTakeMs. Anand said that Mr. Trump was committed to theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake in a way significant.

Earlier this year. President Trump suggested that the United States could abandon its commitments to the Alliance if member countries did not reach ottawa wonders about schedule increase its defense spending targets.

A summit in a tense context

The main talks in The Hague will not take place until Wednesday. mainly bilateral meetings being scheduled for Tuesday, as well as a supper of leaders.

Prime Minister Carney met the leaders of Latvia. the Netherlands and the Nordic countries on Tuesday, this last meeting being devoted to the Arctic and transatlantic security.

Mr. Carney was also received by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.

Jan Techau. principal researcher in the transatlantic defense and security program of the European policies analysis center, explained that the overall level of ambition of Europe in terms of defense had massively Increased in recent years in response to Russian attack.

The closer we are to Russia, the more ambitious we arehe said.

Lauren Speranza. another researcher at the European Policy Analysis Center, said the summit of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake was standing at a very precarious momentmarked by uncertainty about the commitment of the United States to Europe, the hard conflict between Russia and Ukraine and persistent tensions around transatlantic trade.

Mr. Rutte insisted that Ukraine remains a vital issue for theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTakedespite the fact that it is overshadowed this year by new wars in the Middle East. the debate on the objective of defense expenditure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in The Hague for meetings. but he will not attend the meeting of leaders on Wednesday.

During his meeting with Mr. Rutte and senior officials of theEuropean UnionUEPresident Zelensky called for European investments in the Ukrainian defense industry. Mr. ottawa wonders about schedule increase Zelensky told Sky News this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attack a country in theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTake Within five years.

Tensions in the Middle East are also at the heart of the meeting of leaders of theOrganization of the Northern Atlantic TreatyTakewhose summit begins Tuesday with the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel. Iran.

Carney said on Tuesday on social networks that Canada greeted the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

As we report the decrease in Iran’s nuclear capacity. we urge the parties to join the ceasefire, resume dialogue and negotiate a diplomatic solutionhe wrote.

This solution should lead to a general de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. in particular to a cease-fire in the ottawa wonders about schedule increase Gaza Strip.