This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/world/europe/us-trump-nato-budget.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| NATO Offers Trump a Budget Bonbon as Summit Nears | NATO Offers Trump a Budget Bonbon as Summit Nears |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| BRUSSELS — In another gesture to President Trump, NATO announced on Thursday that it had agreed to reduce the United States’ contribution to the alliance’s relatively small central budget, a move aimed at ensuring a calm leaders’ meeting next week in London. | BRUSSELS — In another gesture to President Trump, NATO announced on Thursday that it had agreed to reduce the United States’ contribution to the alliance’s relatively small central budget, a move aimed at ensuring a calm leaders’ meeting next week in London. |
| The military alliance’s own budget, which covers its headquarters and staff and some small joint military operations, is about $2.5 billion a year, compared with more than $700 billion for the Pentagon. | The military alliance’s own budget, which covers its headquarters and staff and some small joint military operations, is about $2.5 billion a year, compared with more than $700 billion for the Pentagon. |
| At a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Paris, the alliance’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said that its members had agreed to redistribute some costs. | At a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Paris, the alliance’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said that its members had agreed to redistribute some costs. |
| “The U.S. will pay less, Germany will pay more, so now the U.S. and Germany will pay the same,” he said, with each contributing about 16 percent of NATO’s central budget. Previously the United States paid about 22 percent. | “The U.S. will pay less, Germany will pay more, so now the U.S. and Germany will pay the same,” he said, with each contributing about 16 percent of NATO’s central budget. Previously the United States paid about 22 percent. |
| The changes become effective in 2021, according to a NATO diplomat. | |
| The NATO budget is separate from the 2 percent of gross domestic product that each NATO member has agreed as their goal for defense spending by 2024. | The NATO budget is separate from the 2 percent of gross domestic product that each NATO member has agreed as their goal for defense spending by 2024. |
| Mr. Trump regularly complains about defense spending by other NATO members, but other countries in the alliance have increased their military spending since the Russian annexation of Crimea five years ago by about $130 billion, a NATO diplomat said, a figure that Mr. Stoltenberg is expected to announce next week. | Mr. Trump regularly complains about defense spending by other NATO members, but other countries in the alliance have increased their military spending since the Russian annexation of Crimea five years ago by about $130 billion, a NATO diplomat said, a figure that Mr. Stoltenberg is expected to announce next week. |
| Even so, only eight of the 29 member countries meet the 2 percent goal. | Even so, only eight of the 29 member countries meet the 2 percent goal. |
| NATO leaders are trying to keep Mr. Trump from disrupting this meeting, a short one to celebrate the alliance’s 70th anniversary, as he did the last Brussels summit meeting in July 2018. Mr. Stoltenberg in particular has tried to keep close ties to the Trump administration, given the importance of the American commitment to NATO. | NATO leaders are trying to keep Mr. Trump from disrupting this meeting, a short one to celebrate the alliance’s 70th anniversary, as he did the last Brussels summit meeting in July 2018. Mr. Stoltenberg in particular has tried to keep close ties to the Trump administration, given the importance of the American commitment to NATO. |
| At a news conference with Mr. Stoltenberg after their meeting in Paris, Mr. Macron defended his own criticism about NATO. The French leader, in an interview with the magazine The Economist, said that the alliance was approaching “brain death” because of a lack of coordination. | At a news conference with Mr. Stoltenberg after their meeting in Paris, Mr. Macron defended his own criticism about NATO. The French leader, in an interview with the magazine The Economist, said that the alliance was approaching “brain death” because of a lack of coordination. |
| He was particularly irked that Mr. Trump had told President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey that he would pull American troops out of Syria without having spoken to other NATO members. | He was particularly irked that Mr. Trump had told President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey that he would pull American troops out of Syria without having spoken to other NATO members. |
| “A wake-up call was necessary,” Mr. Macron insisted after much criticism of his language. “I’m glad it was delivered, and I’m glad everyone now thinks we should rather think about our strategic goals.” | “A wake-up call was necessary,” Mr. Macron insisted after much criticism of his language. “I’m glad it was delivered, and I’m glad everyone now thinks we should rather think about our strategic goals.” |
| Too much emphasis was put on military spending, Mr. Macron added, and not enough on strategy. France, a nuclear power, is among the NATO members not meeting the alliance’s target for military spending. | Too much emphasis was put on military spending, Mr. Macron added, and not enough on strategy. France, a nuclear power, is among the NATO members not meeting the alliance’s target for military spending. |