Sec Gen-European Allies 'Have To Spend More' On Defence

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is presenting the alliance's annual report, laying out the actions of the group over the past 12 months as well as highlighting risks for the year ahead. Livestream of presser here. Answering questions, Stoltenberg states that "NATO's message to all allies, particularly to our European allies, is you have to spend more [on defence]."

• Amid concerns in Europe about the US' continued support for NATO (especially if Donald Trump wins re-election), Teri Schultz at NPR posts on X: "NATO has polled its publics as to whether they think NATO should exist, says SecGen Stoltenberg, and he's happy to report that most people think it should. Only 13% of Americans would say no to NATO."
• This is Stoltenberg's final annual report, with his term ending in October. The contest to succeed him is hotting up. Outgoing Dutch PM Mark Rutte is the frontrunner having gained the backing of the US, UK, France, and Germany. However, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has formally thrown his hat into the ring, and his candidacy risks exposing divisions between the US and Western Europe on one side and Eastern Europeans (much more hawkish on Russia) on the other.
• Alexandra von Nahmern at DW: "Ukrainians are not running out of courage, Stoltenberg says during a presser at NATO HQ. "They’re running out of ammunition." Adds: "We have the capacity to provide" Ukraine with what they need. Now, "we need to show the political will to do so."