German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius
BRUSSELS
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the US demand that NATO allies immediately raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP is "really unrealistic."
Pistorius said increasing defense budgets is necessary but should be done gradually in the coming years rather than immediately.
"I would like to highlight that there is nobody who really postulates 5% from now on because this is really unrealistic. What we are talking about is to increase the percentage in the years to come. This is possible and certainly needed," he said at a news conference after a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels.
"We will discuss that topic at the summit but it's not about disappointing anybody, it's about negotiating about what is necessary and what is possible."
UK Defense Secretary John Healey acknowledged the debate but stressed that commitments should be measured by the capabilities each nation contributes to the alliance. Healey highlighted the UK's investments, including a pledge to double funding for drone and autonomous technology up to 100,000 units.
He warned of a "significant shift" in Russia's tactics, with more than 300 drones launched daily that target Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov described the meeting as a "new stage" in allied support, revealing proposals by partners to fund Ukrainian defense production factories abroad.
"Our partners said that they are willing to fully pay for all the production from these factories and that our partners will even appropriate more funding for this," he said.
The UK pledged £4.5 billion ($5.06 billion) in military aid, including £350 million for drones, while Germany approved a €5 billion package for weapons and air defense systems, according to outcomes from the meeting.
The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Canada, and Sweden also announced significant aid, including drones, vessels and ammunition.�
