NATO’s Eastern Priority Tilt, And Task (From RealClearDefense)

At the NATO summit in Washington this week, rather than just a birthday celebration, the alliance should commit to strengthening its front-line conventional deterrence credibility.   

The record number of NATO allies meeting the 2% defense spending target is a significant achievement. It highlights the alliance’s unity and commitment to collective defense, as well as the impressive response to Russia’s 10-year rolling invasion of Ukraine. 

It is also a big political win for both U.S. presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. 

As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, the increase in defense spending “demonstrates that European Allies are stepping up and taking their share of the common responsibility to protect all of us in the NATO Alliance.” 

I have written more on this subject here.