US Envoy Raps Czech Republic for Lagging on Defence Spending
Whitaker said the country is trailing NATO spending goals and urged leaders to close the gap as officials plan to reach 2% next year.
- On Friday, Ambassador Matthew Whitaker criticized the Czech Republic at a Prague Defence Summit for failing to meet NATO targets, stating the country is "trending towards the bottom of the alliance."
- NATO members agreed in 2014 to spend 2% of GDP on defense, yet the Czech Republic will miss this target again this year, allocating less than 1.8% despite Hague Defense Commitment goals of 3.5% core spending by 2035.
- Finance Minister Alena Schillerov recently called the 5% target "unrealistic," while Whitaker delivered his message in person to friends in the Czech Republic.
- Responding on Friday, Prime Minister Andrej Babis promised defense spending would reach 2% of GDP next year, despite President Petr Pavel urging an increase to meet NATO commitments.
- Babis's coalition includes the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, which wants to cut the defense budget for next year, while the government prioritizes infrastructure and hospital spending.
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US envoy to NATO criticizes Czech Republic’s ‘disappointing’ spending on defense
PRAGUE (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to NATO renewed his country’s criticism of the Czech Republic on Friday, saying it had failed to spend enough on defense. “It is disappointing to see that it has not made more progress towards meeting the Hague Defense Commitment,” Matthew Whitaker told a defense conference in Prague. “Unfortunately, the...
US envoy says Czech Republic lags on NATO spending despite 2% GDP pledge
US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told Prague that Czech defence spending remains too low. The warning sharpens pressure on Prime Minister Andrej Babis as NATO targets rise and coalition tensions persist.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker sharply criticized the Czech Republic for insufficient defense spending on Friday. Speaking at a defense summit in Prague, he said the stagnant Czech defense budget was disappointing. He said the United States expects more from its allies.
The Czech Republic has so far failed to meet the requirements of NATO for mandatory defence costs, and announced Matthew Whitaker at the Prague Defence Summit Conference to the United States of America.
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