President Biden Believes He Is Responsible For NATO Members Increasing Their Defense Spending Since His Inauguration At 12:00 PM On 20 January 2021.  NATO Data Disputes That.  Reality Disputes That. Another Unnecessary And Unwise Exaggeration. 

• “And, in fact, the number has more than doubled since we took office -- since I took office.”  

NATO Member Defense Spending Has Increased As A Direct Result Of The 24 February 2022 Further Invasion By The Armed Forces Of The Russian Federation Into The Internationally-Recognized Territory Of Ukraine.  Does President Biden Want To Take Credit For That Too?

Vladimir Putin, President Of The Russian Federation (2000-2008 and 2112- ), Is Responsible For The Increase In Defense Expenditures By NATO Members Since 24 February 2022.

• On 24 February 2022, the armed forces of the Russian Federation invaded and further invaded the territory of Ukraine in what Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation (2000-2008 and 2012- ), defined as a Special Military Operation [SMO] then on 22 December 2022 he redefined as a war.  The initial invasion of Ukraine by the armed forces of the Russian Federation was in part from the territory of Belarus.     

• The war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine did not commence on 24 February 2022.  The roots began their trajectories on 20 February 2014 when the armed forces of the Russian Federation invaded the Crimean Peninsula and the area known as the Donbas Region (Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast).  

NATO MEMBER DEFENSE SPENDING DATA LINKS 

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_226465.htm

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_226745.htm

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_226755.htm?selectedLocale=en 

The White House
Washington DC
17 June 2024

PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESS SECRETARY KARINE JEAN-PIERRE AND NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR JOHN KIRBY 

Now, as you know, the President will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House later this afternoon to talk about planning for NATO’s 75th annual summit next month in Washington.  The President will reaffirm the ironclad U.S. commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and he’ll welcome steps that Allies are taking to support Ukraine.   I expect the two leaders will also talk about the progress that NATO Allies are all making on increasing their defense spending, which has more than doubled since President Biden took office. 

The White House
Washington DC
17 June 2024

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BIDEN AND NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING (Oval Office)   

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, Mr. Secretary General, welcome back to the Oval Office.  I have to say ahead of time, I’m going to miss you.  I’m going to miss you.  You know, I believe that this -- this one of the most consequential moments for Europe since World War Two.  I think you do too.  NATO was founded 75 years ago, and it’s -- I think the lessons we've learned then and about standing together to defend and deter aggression have been consequential.  And we've made NATO -- you -- under your leader- -- leadership, we made it larger, stronger, and it’s more united than it’s ever been.  So, I want to thank you, Mr. Secretary General, for the incredible work you've done.  Together, we deterred further Russian aggression in Europe.  I think we -- well, I know we’ve welcomed Finland and Sweden to the Alliance.  And we’ve strengthened NATO’s eastern flank, making it clear that we’ll defend every single inch of NATO territory.  And, Jens, we -- a very important announcement to make today: A record number of Allies are meeting the NATO commitment to at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense.  And, in fact, the number has more than doubled since we took office -- since I took office.  And I look forward to building it all -- on all this progress next month when we have the 75th meeting here in Washington.  And I look forward to our discussion today.  So, I want to thank you for being here.  We got a lot to talk about.  And I mean it sincerely, you’ve been great.  I just wish you’d extend your term another 10 years.  You’re doing a hell of a job, seriously.

SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG:  Thank you.  President Biden, dear Joe, thank you so much for your warm words -- words.  And thank you so much for your personal commitment to NATO, to our Transatlantic Alliance.  And, also, many thanks for hosting the NATO Summit here in Washington, D.C., next month.  At that summit, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the most successful alliance in history, but we’ll also make important decisions for the future -- not least on the issue and the importance of investing in our security.  And today, we are able to publish new figures for defense spending.  They show that, across Europe and Canada, NATO Allies are, this year, increasing defense spending by 18 percent.  That's the biggest increase in decades.  And 23 Allies are going to spend 2 percent of GDP or more on defense this year.  That's more than twice as many as four years ago, and demonstrates that European Allies and Canada are really stepping up and taking their share of the common responsibility to protect all of us in the NATO Alliance.  It's also important for the United States to know that a lot of this money is actually spent here in the United States.  Allies are buying more and more equipment from the U.S.  So, NATO is good for U.S. security, but NATO is also good for U.S. jobs.  Mr. President, and also thank you for your strong leadership on Ukraine.  And congratulations on the bilateral security agreement you signed with President Zelenskyy, with Ukraine.  European Allies are also stepping up and matching the U.S. contributions, military support to Ukraine.  And I expect that when we meet here next month, we will agree to have NATO in the lead role in providing security assistance and training and also that Allies will agree to step up financial and military support to Ukraine.  This will reduce the burden on the United States and strengthen our support to Ukraine.  I think it's important to understand that the stronger our support for Ukraine is, the sooner this war can end, because the sooner President Putin will realize that he cannot wait us out.  It is in -- support Ukraine is not charity.  Support Ukraine is in our own security interest.  And therefore, I welcome the strong commitment of all NATO Allies to continue to support Ukraine.  So, once again, thank you so much.  Thank you for once again hosting me -- me here in the Oval Office.  And I look very much forward to the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., next month.  Thank you.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, pal.  Thank you very much, everyone.

The White House
Washington DC
17 June 2024

Readout of President Joe Biden’s Meeting with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of NATO 

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ahead of NATO’s 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington, DC next month, which the President will host.  The President welcomed steps NATO Allies are taking to support Ukraine and to deepen partnerships, including in the Indo-Pacific.  President Biden and Secretary General Stoltenberg also discussed significant progress on defense spending, including that a record 23 Allies will reach NATO’s two percent spending threshold, a more than two-fold increase since President Biden took office.  

LINK TO COMPLETE ANALYSIS IN PDF FORMAT