Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Czech government is considering allocating about 5 percent of its GDP annually to defense, Azernews reports.

The issue of increasing defense spending by member countries will be discussed at the NATO summit scheduled to take place in The Hague this June. After meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, President Pavel said that if a general agreement is reached at the summit to increase military spending to 5 percent of GDP, the Czech Republic is ready to support the initiative. Prime Minister Fiala also mentioned that he had discussed the matter with the President in advance.

According to Reuters, Mark Rutte suggests that countries increase direct military spending to 3.5 percent of GDP and allocate an additional 1.5 percent for defense-related needs. This approach could satisfy former US President Donald Trump's demand that NATO allies spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense. However, even the United States has not yet reached this goal.

It is worth noting that last year, for the first time, the Czech Republic met the previous NATO target of 2 percent of GDP for defense spending. The government has committed to increasing this figure to 3 percent by 2030.

This potential boost in military spending reflects a broader trend in Central and Eastern Europe, where countries are rapidly modernizing their armed forces in response to evolving security challenges in the region. The Czech Republic’s move highlights the increasing importance placed on national defense amid growing geopolitical tensions in Europe.