NATO will increase the defense spending in 2017.

According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the organization members will allocate 4.3 percent more funds for defense than before, DW reports.

In his words, the funds will be spent on the new equipment, trainings, as well as the salaries and pensions of military servicemen. Apart from this, more funds will be spent on the NATO operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo. According to Stoltenberg, in order to support the security of its member states, NATO should continue the work on increasing defense spending and more just distribution of load between the alliance members.

He also added that four NATO battalions in Eastern Europe reached the level of complete operating capability in June, about 1,000 people being included in each batallion.