US Spending Cuts to NATO Will be Used on Georgia and Ukraine

Ahead of NATO’s 70th-anniversary summit, which will take place in London, Trump announced that he will be decreasing the US’s contribution to the North-Atlantic Alliance.

US has maintained and provided 22% of NATO’s direct funding. Now, according to the new formula of separating costs, the US contribution is to fall to 16%, while Germany provides 14.8%.   

"All Allies have agreed on a new cost-sharing formula. Within the new formula, cost shares attributed to most European Allies and Canada will increase, while the US share will decrease. This is an important demonstration of the Allies' commitment to the Alliance and to fairer burden-sharing," a NATO official remarked to the American media.

One US defense official said that the money saved by the US will help fund other US military and security efforts in Europe, including programs in countries such as non-NATO members Ukraine and Georgia, which are seen as being on the frontline with Russia.

Trump has long criticized NATO members, particularly Germany for not meeting the 2% (of GDP) NATO defense spending target, which only 8 of the 29 members currently meet. All members pledged to reach the 2% level by 2024 but not all of them currently have plans or the affordability to do so.

By Beka Alexishvili