Defence Mins Meet As Trump Doubles Down On 'Delinquent' Comments

NATO defence ministers are meeting presently in Brussels amid a tumultuous period for the military alliance. Comments made by former US President Donald Trump last week, and reiterated on 14 Feb, that he would not offer US protection to NATO members that were attacked if they were "delinquent" and did not meet their defence spending targets, have sent shockwaves through the group.

• In response, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has claimed that a record number of members have hit the 2% of GDP on defence spending target.
• With the war in Ukraine and broader NATO concerns about Russian aggression likely to be the main topics of conversation among ministers, the absence of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III - due to a recent hospitalisation - will be keenly felt.
• Focus remains on the prospect of the US House of Representatives taking up the National Security Supplemental, supported by the White House and passed by the Senate, that would provide ~USD60bn for Ukraine as part of a USD95bn foreign policy spending package. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has suggested the House will put together its own package that includes money for the US' southern border.
• Stoltenberg will hold a post-meeting presser ~1530CET (0930ET, 1430GMT). Livestream here.