Top EU defense official says some NATO countries considering higher defense spending target – POLITICO

BRUSSELS — Some European NATO members are calling for the alliances’ defense spending target to be raised to 3 percent of GDP from the current 2 percent, the EU’s top defense official said Tuesday.

“When NATO allies increase their budget to at least 2 percent of GDP, some are already talking about 3 percent,” Timo Pesonen, director general of defense industry at the European Commission, said during an event of the European Policy Center think tank.

The push for increased spending comes as Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia enters its third year.