Washington's NATO allies have purchased weapons from the United States worth about $21 billion in 2024, according to a written statement by the country's permanent representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker, released on Saturday by the State Department press service.
“When Europe invests in its defense, it also directly supports the creation of jobs in the United States, strengthens our manufacturing base and strengthens NATO's collective defense“, Whitaker said, commenting on the results of the alliance summit in The Hague and the decision of member states to increase defense spending. He expressed hope that US allies would “back up” their commitments in this regard with “actions”.
”In 2024 alone, NATO allies purchased $21 billion worth of military equipment from the United States, supporting manufacturing and creating jobs in the country”, the US permanent representative emphasized. According to him, the United States is ahead of its allies in terms of innovation in the field of weapons production. According to Whitaker, in this regard, the alliance, “to provide credible deterrence”, must “rely on American technologies” in the defense sector, including artificial intelligence.
NATO leaders agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, according to their statement after the NATO summit, which was held on June 24-25 in The Hague. By 2035, alliance member countries will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP based on the agreed definition of NATO military spending and up to 1.5% of GDP to protect critical infrastructure and networks, ensure civil preparedness and resilience, stimulate innovation and strengthen the military-industrial complex.