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Latvia celebrates joining to NATO in Riga
FILE PHOTO: NATO Military Committee Chief Admiral Rob Bauer listens to the media as Latvia celebrates the anniversary of joining the alliance in Riga, Latvia March 28, 2024. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File Photo Image: Reuters/Ints Kalnins
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NATO seeks agreement on new goals for weapons and troops in summer, says top official

25 Comments
By Sabine Siebold

NATO aims to bring forward a decision on new targets for weapons and troop numbers to this summer, a top military official said on Monday, referring to the alliance's biggest overhaul since the Cold War as it faces what it sees as a growing threat from Russia.

The Western military and political alliance has been under pressure not only in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine but also internally, with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump calling on its members to spend much more on defence.

NATO defence ministers will seek to reach a deal on new capability targets a few weeks before their leaders meet in The Hague on June 24-26, the chief of the bloc's Military Committee, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, told Reuters in an interview.

"We're going to look for an agreement before the summit in the Hague," Bauer said, "to make sure that if there are any remaining problems, then that can be solved, and if necessary, by the leaders."

In 2023, NATO leaders agreed on thousands of pages of secret defence plans that detail for the first time since the Cold War how the alliance would respond to a Russian attack.

However, the documents exposed significant shortages in air defences and long-range missiles, troop numbers, ammunition, logistical headaches and a lack of secure digital communications on the battlefield.

These gaps are meant to be addressed with the new capability targets that were originally expected to be agreed on at a NATO defence ministers' meeting in the autumn of 2025.

The summit in The Hague will also discuss hiking NATO's existing military spending target of 2% of national GDP, with 3% being floated by some experts as one potential new target. Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20, recently urged a 5% goal.

Bauer declined to specify a figure but said the idea of bringing its capability targets forward was "to make sure that everybody understands better the connection to the money" since the needs were made clear through the new defence plans.

"The delta is what you need to buy, and that is what the new capability targets will look at," the admiral said. "So basically it will help to make people understand why we need more than 2%."

During the Cold War, NATO allies on average spent 3%-6% of their national GDP on their militaries, according to Bauer.

"If we would have continued spending (as an alliance) what we spent in the early 90s, and that was at a level of 3%, we would have spent 8.6 trillion dollars more than we have now spent," Bauer said.

"That's basically the peace dividend that we now have to fund."

© Thomson Reuters 2025.

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

25 Comments
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Warmonger. Bauer is a shameless hypocrite typical of an offensive alliance that seeks to threaten and bully, particularly those smaller than it.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

JJEToday 02:30 pm JST

Warmonger. Bauer is a shameless hypocrite

What wars has he started, exactly?

Now, contrast that answer (which will be "zero") with Putin's actions in Ukraine, and then you will see where the rationale for these new targets comes from.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

isabelle

Now, contrast that answer (which will be "zero") with Putin's actions in Ukraine, and then you will see where the rationale for these new targets comes from.

"Putin's actions in Ukraine" are the result of neocon warmongering. But yes, those who only consume legacy media headlines and have zilch background information would not know that.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

"Putin's actions in Ukraine" are the result of neocon warmongering. But yes, those who only consume legacy media headlines and have zilch background information would not know that.

Necons who have no names and whose warmongering cannot be identified. Ghosts who leave no trace.

We can file this in the coping folder that Putin apologists have created to help them deal with cheering on his invasion.

It sits nicely alongside the 'Ukrainians are warmongers for defending themselves', and, 'Nazis are running Ukraine'.

Simple coping methods for simple people.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

As we all know the United States played a key role in generating and perpetuating this terrible conflict in Ukraine since the Bucharest Nato meeting in 2008:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epyHOz-Pbs

If there had been no decision to expand Nato into Ukraine the situation in Europe today and the European Russia relations would look fundamentally different and we would have a peaceful Europe. The catastrophic decision by George W. Bush and Condolezza Rice fro the Nato enlargement was totally ill conceived

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

As we all know

As lots of you are deluding yourselves about.

Putin has invaded three times. How many more times does he have to invade before you all stop grabbing your feeble ankles for him? 4? 5?

Stick to blaming it on Wall Street or some other people who didn't actually invade anyone.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

ZaphodToday 03:55 pm JST

"Putin's actions in Ukraine" are the result of neocon warmongering.

Kremlin propaganda. Ukraine is a sovereign country that makes its own decisions, and it sees its future as part of free, democratic Europe, not as part of some failed Soviet Union remnant.

If Putin doesn't like Ukraine's domestic or foreign policy, that's tough. Nothing justifies his invasion: his actions violate international law and the Geneva Convention, and he is rightly wanted for war crimes.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

FosToday 05:02 pm JST

As we all know the United States played a key role in generating and perpetuating this terrible conflict in Ukraine

As we (that are not wearing Kremlin blinkers) all know, Putin generated and is perpetuating this terrible conflict in Ukraine.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

isabelle

The only sovereign country here, who takes their independent decisions, I guess we all know, is the big military industrial complex. The same one that President Dwight Eisenhower warned against in 1961.

A little historical context:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEGpTu8sVKI

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

FosToday 05:02 pm JST

As we all know the United States played a key role in generating and perpetuating this terrible conflict in Ukraine since the Bucharest Nato meeting in 2008:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epyHOz-Pbs

If there had been no decision to expand Nato into Ukraine the situation in Europe today and the European Russia relations would look fundamentally different and we would have a peaceful Europe. The catastrophic decision by George W. Bush and Condolezza Rice fro the Nato enlargement was totally ill conceived

NATO did not expand into Ukraine. Simple as.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

And NATO will never expand into Ukraine. Moscow took sensible countermeasures to prevent such a travesty occurring within its exclusive sphere of influence, especially with the illegal neo-fascist coup which was an underhanded attempt to expand. Simple as.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Moscow took sensible countermeasures to prevent such a travesty occurring within its exclusive sphere of influence

Killing half a million people is JJE's lovely idea of 'sensible'.

Imagine what he thinks an imprudent measure would be?

The weak of mind are easily impressed by mass murderers.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Killing half a million people is...

Just to put into context the role of United States of America when it comes to share of death, destabilizing power and violence in general, inside the North Atlantic alliance.

In 2023 the White House contributed 68% of Nato's total expenditure with over $910 billions. You can only imagine the data for 2024 after the catastrophe in the Middle East and the free ride in Ukraine. 

As a reminder that originally Nato was the Acronym of North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Ukraine is in Eastern Europe, nothing to do with North Atlantic, not even part of EU. Go figure!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

In 2023 the White House contributed 68% of Nato's total expenditure with over $910 billions. You can only imagine the data for 2024 after the catastrophe in the Middle East and the free ride in Ukraine.

NATO expenditure is not counted by what each country spends on defense. Their agreement is for member countries to spend 2.5% of their GDP. That is a guideline and not a requirement.

The current leader of NATO is now calling for 3.7%.

https://www.nato.int/cps/is/natohq/topics_49198.htm

2 ( +5 / -3 )

JJEToday 06:22 pm JST

Moscow took sensible countermeasures

In what world are murder, rape, torture, destruction, and child abduction "sensible countermeasures" for a sovereign country making its own decisions?

within its exclusive sphere of influence

Ukraine is a sovereign country that makes its own decisions. Moscow doesn't get a veto on those decisions.

Putin's perceived "exclusive sphere of influence" is nothing more than a figment of his warped imagination (which is sadly magnified by his online minions).

illegal neo-fascist coup

...that never happened.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Good news. Moscow has announced it is willing to discuss security guarantees within a broader Eurasian framework in order to address larger geopolitical issues. They announced that includes a land now called Ukraine, and parts of that country which have not yet determined their status, unlike Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya (the Donbass republics) which have previously ceded.

It'll be interesting what Bauer, mentioned in the article, and his pals in Brussels have to say in relation to this positive and generous development. The head of NATO said yesterday that Russia is outproducing all of NATO by a factor of 3:1. In reality, it is higher.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

JJEToday 09:49 pm JST

They announced that includes a land now called Ukraine, and parts of that country which have not yet determined their status, unlike Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya (the Donbass republics) which have previously ceded.

Ukraine has ceded precisely zero land to Russia. (Sorry, but fake Russian referendums with a gun to the electorate's head do not count.)

Since you are so keen on reminding everyone about "UN-recognized" countries, I will remind you that Ukraine -- including the Donbas and Crimea -- is UN-recognized. The UN recognizes precisely no part of it as Russia.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Which will be rectified upon any settlement to end the conflict, which will obviously include demarcated borders. Surely Bauer and NATO know Moscow has dismissed the idea of a temporary truce, arguing that freezing the conflict would allow Kyiv to regroup and prepare for further hostilities.

May not go down well in certain quarters, but that's the path forward.

Also, a tad ironic Bauer forgets to mention the only EU/NATO territory under threat is Greenland - from an alliance partner. Must have slipped his mind.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

JJEJan. 14 06:22 pm JST

And NATO will never expand into Ukraine.

Moscow will control only what it has paid the price in bodies for and not an inch more.

Moscow took sensible countermeasures to prevent such a travesty occurring within its exclusive sphere of influence, especially with the illegal neo-fascist coup which was an underhanded attempt to expand. Simple as.

Ukraine's revolution of dignity had nothing to do with NATO. The only real fascists are the ones pouring over the border from the east.

Good news. Moscow has announced it is willing to discuss security guarantees within a broader Eurasian framework in order to address larger geopolitical issues. They announced that includes a land now called Ukraine, and parts of that country which have not yet determined their status, unlike Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya (the Donbass republics) which have previously ceded.

Again Moscow will have puppets only in areas for which it has paid the price in bodies for.

It'll be interesting what Bauer, mentioned in the article, and his pals in Brussels have to say in relation to this positive and generous development.

There is not need for Bauer to do anything but put such disgusting proposals in the garbage.

The head of NATO said yesterday that Russia is outproducing all of NATO by a factor of 3:1. In reality, it is higher.

Clearly the US needs to spend more. There is no reason even the EU can't outproduce the rocket man in Moscow.

Surely Bauer and NATO know Moscow has dismissed the idea of a temporary truce, arguing that freezing the conflict would allow Kyiv to regroup and prepare for further hostilities.

Moscow will accept a truce, a just peace, or russian bodies will continue to be expended.

Also, a tad ironic Bauer forgets to mention the only EU/NATO territory under threat is Greenland - from an alliance partner. Must have slipped his mind.

NATO members are able to identify the real animals on the move.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

FosJan. 14 06:53 pm JST

As a reminder that originally Nato was the Acronym of North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Ukraine is in Eastern Europe, nothing to do with North Atlantic, not even part of EU. Go figure!

The animals NATO is fighting do not care whether we consider the Mediterranean and Black Sea are connected to the Atlantic, which they are.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

NATO needs to understand their little nasty experiment to turn that land into an offensive bulwark has failed and Moscow is firmly in the driver's seat. A glorified land-based admiral spouting thought bubbles and wish-lists of figures might make the cope a little easier for him, but it won't change anything - because it won't actually happen. He should look at the economic figures on the continent instead.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

JJEToday 02:25 am JST

NATO needs to understand their little nasty experiment to turn that land into an offensive bulwark has failed and Moscow is firmly in the driver's seat. A glorified land-based admiral spouting thought bubbles and wish-lists of figures might make the cope a little easier for him, but it won't change anything - because it won't actually happen. He should look at the economic figures on the continent instead.

Russia has not paid the price in bodies to control anything but the 20% of Ukraine it has shamelessly stolen.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Watch that 20% figure go up like a hot air balloon. Plus, the south-east alone is a vast treasure trove of untapped resources and other bonus goodies. Bauer and others know that.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

JJEToday 02:40 am JST

Watch that 20% figure go up like a hot air balloon.

What's the timeline of terrorists reaching Kyiv?

Plus, the south-east alone is a vast treasure trove of untapped resources and other bonus goodies.

Only the russian licks his chops at stolen booty.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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