US goes soft on NATO allies that have not met 2 pct GDP target for defense

The US State Department organised a telephonic press briefing with General Tod D. Wolters, Commander of US Air Forces in Europe and Africa, on the subject of defense strategy and military activities of the US in Europe and Africa. The discussion also referenced the defense spending of NATO allies, including Romania.

A reporter from NBC News asked General Wolters about the fact that some NATO allies are still not hitting the two percent target that the US had asked for in GDP spending for Defense. Wolters replied that he is overall happy with the fact that Europe and Canada have increased defense spending over the past 3 years, and that eight countries will meet the 2 percent in 2018 and 15 others will reach or exceed it by 2024.

However, the General also said that it is important “to scrutinize what actually goes into the spending” – for example, Romania’s Defense spending was 1.8 percent of GDP last year, but in fact much of that amount went to salaries and other expenditures instead of exclusively for investments like the US had recommended.

Wolters is therefore suggesting that allocating 2 percent of GDP for Defense is not enough to satisfy NATO’s requirements and that the US wants most of that amount to go towards investments and equipment.

But the General’s answer also indicates that although NATO continues to ask for 2 percent, the pressure on allies is not as intense as it had previously appeared to be, as Wolters is satisfied with some countries reaching the target as late as 2024.

Romania’s President Iohannis had promised US President Donald Trump in a visit to Washington last year that the country would meet the 2 percent requirement, but according to the Wall Street Journal, both Romania and Poland, which had been “expected to join the 2% club, failed to do so because of a surge in their economies.”

Romania’s GDP recorded a growth of 7 pct in 2017, according to National Institute of Statistics (INS) data. The growth rate, a nine-year high, outpaced analysts’ expectations and had some impact on government’s spending – a much higher GDP means a lower GDP percentage allocated to Defense, in Romania’s case.

In his introductory statement, General Wolters highlighted the main targets of the US Defense Strategy: to build a more lethal force, to strengthen alliances and attract new partners, and to reform the department for greater performance and affordability.

Asked whether Russian air force activities are increasing or becoming more concerning for the US forces, Wolters said that Russian aviation has maintained a steady pace in the past few years: “Nothing with a dramatic increase, nothing with a dramatic drop-off.”

A reporter from the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation asked the General whether there is “a desire for a permanent presence, rotational presence, of the United States Air Force on the territory of Romania”.

General Wolters answered: “You can anticipate that the rotational presence with our U.S. Air Force assets will continue to increase in Romania as they have over the course of the last several years, and just as you pointed out, the wonderful Air Base that you have, MK, that’s in the far eastern side, I anticipate more exchanges with our rotational forces there over time.”

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