What is NATO’s new 5% defence spending pledge, and how will Canada meet it? – National

Canada joined its NATO allies on Wednesday in agreeing to a new defence spending target of five per cent of GDP — but the details are more complicated. Members of the alliance will have until 2035 to reach the new spending goal, for one thing. And the five per cent is being split into two … Read more

Carney says world is at ‘turning points’ as he touts defence spending boost – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the world faces “turning points” as he vowed Canada will benefit from increasing defence spending to the new NATO target of five per cent of GDP by 2035. At the same time, he acknowledged he will need “social licence” for the level of spending planned and that the country will need … Read more

NATO leaders to debate proposed hike to defence spending – National

NATO leaders are meeting to debate whether to more than double the alliance’s defence spending target. Prime Minister Mark Carney is among the leaders around the table at the annual leaders’ summit in The Hague, where a proposal is being discussed to increase the target to five per cent of annual GDP, up from the … Read more

Iran is ‘the elephant in the room’ as NATO meets amid escalation fears – National

NATO allies will try to ensure this week’s summit isn’t derailed by the fallout from U.S. military strikes on Iran, experts say, but the conflict may still be “the elephant in the room.” U.S. President Donald Trump late Monday announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran would be phased in over a 24-hour period. … Read more

Carney to talk NATO defence spending hike as summit kicks off – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney begins a two-day stop Tuesday in the Netherlands, where NATO alliance members are prepared to decide whether to more than double the defense spending target. The main talks in The Hague won’t happen until Wednesday, with Carney first set to take part in several bilateral meetings. Carney will meet with the … Read more

NATO leaders expected to hike defence spending, but it won’t apply to all – National

NATO leaders are expected to agree this week that member countries should spend five per cent of their gross domestic product on defence, except the new and much vaunted investment pledge will not apply to all of them. Spain has reached a deal with NATO to be excluded from the five per cent of GDP … Read more

Spain rejects proposed defence spending hike ahead of NATO summit – National

The success of a key NATO summit hung in the balance on Friday, after Spain announced that it cannot raise the billions of dollars needed to meet a new defence investment pledge demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump and his NATO counterparts are meeting for two days in the Netherlands from next Tuesday. He … Read more