NATO Defense Spending Grew Dramatically after Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The number of NATO member nations meeting their defense spending obligations has increased dramatically in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Congress has heard. The defensive military alliance adopted the guideline that all member nations should spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense spending in 2014, following Russia’s limited invasion and seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. At that time, only three members met the spending obligation, and fewer than 10 were meeting the obligation more than half a decade later. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, however, that number has dramatically increased, with 18 NATO nations now spending at least two percent of GDP on defense, according to Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs....