NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called on NATO members to increase military spending, reports Voice of America.  According to Stoltenberg, this approach is critical for providing the steadiness of the Transatlantic ties, on which the NATO is based. 

“For almost 70 years the unique partnership between Europe and North America has ensured peace and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said. “That is an achievement we can never take for granted,” said Stoltenberg.

He noted that there is still no fair distribution of the financial burden among the members of the alliance.  The United States, Great Britain, Estonia, Greece, and Poland are the only countries that maintain the defense spending target of 2% of GDP.  “It is realistic that all Allies should reach this goal. All Allies have agreed to it – at the highest level. It can be done,” noted Stoltenberg, referring 2014 meeting of the prime ministers and presidents.

According to statistics, in 2016 the defense spending of the alliance increased by 3.8 percent or 10 billion dollars, while in 2015 this figure reduced.  “So we must redouble our efforts and