Faced with Russian threat, NATO's budget set to soar

NATO is calling on European member states to increase their ground-based air defence capabilities fivefold, as the Alliance rushes to address a significant gap in its response to the threat of Russian aggression.

This proposed increase will be discussed on Thursday at a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization defence ministers in Brussels. The goal to increase capabilities fivefold would be collective for the Alliance's European member states, although individual levels may ultimately vary.

The timetable for this air defence initiative is unclear. This week, ministers are already due to approve one of the most ambitious commitments to increase weapon stockpiles since the Cold War, as part of ongoing efforts by Europe and Canada to rearm and reduce their dependence on US defence systems. The meeting in Brussels will set the stage for the leaders' summit in The Hague on 24–25 June.

(MH with D. Rodriguez - Source: El Mundo - Photo: © Unsplash)