NATO Spending Failing to Match Rhetoric on Russia Threat

Ints Kalnins / ReutersSoldiers of the U.S. Army deployed in Latvia as part of NATO's Operation Atlantic Resolve during a joint military exercise Feb. 26.

Russian military expansion over thepast year has electrified NATO, but theCold War military alliance is failing todeliver onpromised increases indefense spending.

Six months after pledging tohit 2 percent spending targets across theentire alliance by2020, only those NATO members onRussia's periphery are moving toquickly boost defense budgets, while most ofWestern Europe continues tocut or freeze spending.

Although only half ofthe alliance's 28 states have published budget predictions for2015, astudy released last week bythe European Leadership Network (ELN), aLondon-based think tank, revealed that action has lagged behind rhetoric since last September, when members agreed toreverse defense cuts andmove closer tothe 2 percent target ata summit inWales.

"It comes down towho inEurope is really inclined totake aninterest indefending itself against Russia or any other threat," said Keir Giles, anexpert inRussian security policy atChatham House.

Russia's annexation ofCrimea last year, support forpro-Russian rebels ineastern Ukraine andexpanded aerial andnaval patrols have rattled NATO. But though thealliance sees Russia as aproblem, only newer members, many ofthem inEastern Europe, see thethreat as serious enough tochange domestic funding priorities.

Russia has been pouring vast sums ofmoney intoits military. But NATO still vastly outspends Moscow andits forces are considered tobe better trained, equipped andmore experienced.

NATO's European members spent acollective $269 billion ondefense last year, according todata collected bythe Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Russia in2014 budgeted 3.4 percent ofits gross domestic product, or 2.5 trillion rubles (around $70 billion, adjusting forexchange rate volatility), ondefense, thehead ofthe State Duma's defense committee, Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, said inOctober, adding that 2015's budget could reach as high as 4.2 percent ofRussian output.

Anemic economic growth andefforts tocut spending amid high public debt inWestern Europe have dampened calls tofund against aresurgent Russian threat.

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NATO Spending Failing to Match Rhetoric on Russia Threat