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Estonia approves €2.8 billion defense boost to meet NATO targets
Reuters
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
Estonia has approved a four-year, €2.8 billion additional defense funding bill in a bid to meet NATO capability targets.
The new spending will push the Baltic country’s defense budget to an average of 5.4% of GDP through 2029, up from previous levels of around 3.4%.
Estonia is already proportionally the second-highest defense spender in NATO, and the increase would place it well above U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that member states spend at least 5% of GDP on defense.
The government’s decision will significantly boost military capabilities, equipment, stockpiles, and ammunition for the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF).
EDF chief General Andrus Merilo said the move was necessary due to a worsening security environment, citing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the buildup of Russian operational capabilities as direct threats to Estonia.
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