The countries that spend the most on Nato - and who needs to do more

North America Politics Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:37:00 GMT Moderate confidence — 73/100

Europe finds itself in an increasingly precarious position amid the ongoing threat posed by Vladimir Putin and the withdrawal of US military support - and data suggests that defence spending has not kept up.
The dual risk posed by a belligerent Russia and a disengaged Washington has underlined the need to develop the continent’s military independence, European allies have said.
Nato chief Mark Rutte has insisted that “Europeans are already backfilling what the US cannot any longer promise” in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Europe finds itself in an increasingly precarious position amid the ongoing threat posed by Vladimir Putin and the withdrawal of US military support - and data suggests that defence spending has not kept up.
The dual risk posed by a belligerent Russia and a disengaged Washington has underlined the need to develop the continent’s military independence, European allies have said.
Nato chief Mark Rutte has insisted that “Europeans are already backfilling what the US cannot any longer promise” in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Sources: The Independent