Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov will participate in the meeting of the defense ministers of NATO member states today in Brussels, Belgium. This was announced by the press center of the Ministry of Defense.
The forum will provide an opportunity to discuss and make decisions on the most current topics related to strengthening the deterrent and defense potential of the alliance and preparing for the upcoming Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24-25, BTA specified.
The meeting will also discuss a number of key issues from NATO's agenda, such as increasing defense spending and fair sharing of burdens and responsibilities, increasing the capacity of the defense industry and new 2025 capability goals. At a working session of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of defense ministers, the current situation on the battlefield and long-term political and practical support for Ukraine will be discussed.
No one should ever think of attacking us, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said yesterday. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is unshakable and anyone who tries something will see that, he added. Rutte announced that the defense ministers would discuss plans for a significant increase in military spending and for the acquisition of additional capabilities. According to him, each country in the alliance must decide for itself how to ensure a significant increase in spending on acquiring air defense systems and long-range weapons - by increasing taxes or debt, or in some other way. Rutte pointed out that this year all allies are expected to achieve defense spending equal to 2% of Gross Domestic Product.
Bulgaria will increase its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2032, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov said a few days ago at a forum in Sofia. In order to ensure the success of our defense investment projects, our defense spending reached the target of 2% of GDP in 2024. This is no longer enough, and we have decided to increase our defense spending to at least 2.5-3%, and by 2032 to reach 3.5% of GDP as a minimum level in order to succeed in our modernization efforts, Zapryanov said.
US President Donald Trump is insisting that alliance partners spend 5% of GDP on defense. Rutte recently proposed a compromise formula for increasing defense-related spending to 3.5% of GDP and spending 1.5% of GDP on infrastructure, BTA recalls.