Poland boosts defense budget to over 4% of GDP, exceeding NATO expectations

Poland is dedicating more than 4% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense, demonstrating its commitment as a responsible North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member. Polish President Andrzej Duda highlighted this achievement in a National Security Council meeting ahead of discussions with allies and the NATO Secretary General in the United States about encouraging NATO countries to allocate 3% of GDP to defense.

"We can proudly say that Poland has been a responsible member of the North Atlantic Alliance from the very beginning," President Andrzej Duda stated at the council meeting on Monday. He underscored that Poland's defense spending isn't just about meeting quotas; it's part of a long-term strategy to modernize and equip the military with advanced technology to bolster national security and defensive capabilities.

"In the USA, I will talk with our allies and the NATO Secretary General about making Alliance countries spend 3 percent of GDP on defense," Andrzej Duda emphasized, confirming his agenda to advocate for increased defense commitments among NATO countries.

In an update from mid-February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg revealed that, by 2024, 18 countries are projected to allocate at least 2% of their GDP to defense spending. He also noted the significant increase in defense investments by Europe's NATO members and Canada since 2014, totaling $600 billion. Last year alone saw an 11% surge in defense spending, marking an unprecedented rise.

Highlighting a significant milestone, Germany, for the first time in three decades, reported to NATO its plans to spend over 2% of its GDP on defense, translating to a substantial investment of $73.41 billion.