Five NATO members seen to spend over 3.5% of GDP on core defence this year, alliance estimates show

NATO's latest estimates reveal that five member countries are on track to meet the alliance's benchmark of spending 3.5% of their GDP on core defense this year, signaling a positive shift in defense spending. This comes ahead of a leaders' summit in Ankara, highlighting the urgency and commitment to bolstering defense capabilities amid ongoing global security concerns. While this is encouraging news, other members still lag behind, spending around 2% of GDP, indicating a disparity in defense funding that could impact NATO's collective security posture.