Poland Urges President Biden To Increase ATO Defense Budget Amid Russia-Ukraine War

By Thea Felicity

Mar 11, 2024 04:02 PM EDT

GNIEW, POLAND - MARCH 05: Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks to the media at the NATO Dragon 24 military exercise on March 05, 2024 near Gniew, Poland. Dragon 24 is involving troops from 10 different nations and is part of Steadfast Defender, an ongoing set of NATO military manoeuvres across Europe that is involving 90,000 troops.
(Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Polish President Andrzej Duda is gearing up to propose a significant boost in defense spending among NATO member states during his upcoming discussions with US President Joe Biden. BNN Bloomberg reports that Duda's proposal aims to raise the minimum level of defense expenditure to 3% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), a notable increase from the current 2% threshold.

The discussions between President Duda and President Biden will be very important, especially in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Poland's neighboring country. As tensions escalate in the region, there's a growing urgency among NATO members, particularly those in Eastern Europe, to strengthen the alliance's capabilities and fortify its eastern flank against potential threats.

Duda's initiative reflects Poland's proactive stance in advocating for stronger collective defense measures within NATO. By proposing the increase in defense spending, Poland aims to ensure that NATO remains a formidable deterrent against any aggression or incursion into its territory or that of its allies.

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This way, Poland also wants to show unity and determination against any possible threats. This move also confirms the strength and togetherness of the alliance. Similar to how Duda perceived former President Trump's approach-which was to allow NATO countries to pay more for their defense.

During the talks between Duda and Biden, as well as conversations with other NATO countries like Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, they'll likely discuss the details and effects of a big rise in defense spending. They might also talk about bigger strategic ideas, like how Europe's security situation is changing and how NATO can deal with new risks and problems.

If successful, Poland won't be the first to seek higher spending on defense. Earlier this month, VCPost also announced France's plan to finance new defense strategies, with similar reasons tying up to the Russia-Ukraine war.

READ MORE: Australia Boosts Defense Spending by Adding $7.2 Billion to Build Largest Navy's Surface Combat Fleet Since WWII

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