Reference News, August 5 report - According to the Russian "Gazeta" website on August 4, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), military spending by "NATO border zone" countries near Russia increased from 88.5 billion U.S. dollars to 116.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, a significant increase of 32%, far exceeding the overall NATO annual growth rate of 12%. The proportion of these countries' military spending to their gross domestic product (GDP) rose from 1.7% in 2021 to 2.1% in 2023 and 2.5% in 2024. Many NATO member states that share land and maritime borders with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine joined the organization during the NATO expansion wave after 1999.

Among these countries, Poland had the highest military spending in 2024, totaling 38 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 31% compared to 2023. Followed by Turkey (25 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 12%) and Sweden (12 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 34%). Ukraine's military budget for 2024 was 65 billion U.S. dollars, two-thirds of which came from external financial aid. Another 44 billion U.S. dollars were Western military assistance. Therefore, Ukraine's total military spending in 2024 reached 109 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57% of its GDP. If Ukraine's military spending is included, the total military spending of the "NATO border zone" reached 226 billion U.S. dollars, 1.5 times the amount estimated by SIPRI for Russia's military spending.

In June this year, at the NATO summit, member states pledged to allocate 5% of GDP for defense by 2035. Spanish Minister of Defense Margarita Robles stated on June 27 that this goal "is absolutely unattainable," saying, "No country's industry can afford military spending of 5% or 3.5% of GDP, whether it is the United States or European countries." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, "Spain's defense spending will account for 2.1% of GDP, which is just enough." He also said that military spending of 5% of GDP is a waste.

Among the 32 NATO members, several countries still had military spending below the previously agreed 2% of GDP in 2024. The average military spending of European countries increased from 1.65% of GDP in 2021 to 2.02% of GDP in 2024, while the U.S. military spending remained at 3.4% of GDP.

Europe is accelerating militarization under the banner of the "Russian threat." NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed at the NATO summit held in June: "Russia is expanding its military at an astonishing speed. In three, five or seven years, Russia will be able to successfully attack us. So, we must be prepared."

However, Russia plans to reduce its military spending over the next three years. After the comments from NATO officials in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "All members of the Russian government are thinking about reducing military spending. Europe, however, is considering how to increase military spending. Then, who is preparing for some kind of aggressive action? Us or them?"

Prokhor Tepin, Director of the Center for Military Political Studies at the Institute of World Military Economy and Strategy of the Higher School of Economics in Russia, believes that NATO continues to exaggerate the threat of Russia to convince European citizens to tighten their belts. He said, "After all, without the threat of Russia, why would there be militarization? The motivation of European countries lies in internal politics, especially for the eastern European partners of NATO, they expect to obtain subsidies and military aid programs through NATO and the EU."

Fyodor Voytoloysky, Director of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said, "But everyone clearly knows that if direct conflict occurs, Russia will do everything possible to ensure its own security, so getting involved in direct conflict with Russia is irrational."

Dmitry Stefanovich, researcher at the Center for International Security of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences and member of the Committee on Foreign and Defense Policy, also pointed out, "Practical experience in recent years shows that war is very expensive and dangerous, and the results are unpredictable."

Stefanovich believes that eventually, European countries will increase their military spending, but it is unlikely to reach 5% of GDP. Many countries do not need such a level of expenditure. (Translated by Li Ran)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7534974832325313067/

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