NATO expects 8 allies to meet defense target in 2018

BRUSSELS, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- NATO expects eight allies to meet the bloc's benchmark of spending two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense in 2018, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of defense ministers meetings later this week, Stoltenberg said the topic of fair burden-sharing would be high on the agenda.

NATO allies agreed to move towards spending two percent of GDP on defense at Wales summit in 2014.

"After years of decline, since 2014 we have seen three years of increasing defense spending across European allies and Canada, amounting to an additional 46 billion U.S. dollars," Stoltenberg said.

"In 2014, only three allies spent two percent of GDP or more on defense. This year we expect eight allies to meet the target," he added.

"And by 2024, we expect at least 15 allies will spend two percent of GDP or more on defense," Stoltenberg said, "but we still have a long way to go."

Only five of the 29 NATO member states, including the United States, and Britain have so far met NATO's spending guidelines. Enditem