The Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob, has proposed reviewing and expanding the existing definition of defense spending within NATO, emphasizing the need to consider a broader range of security investments to achieve the Alliance’s strategic objectives
This decision could have significant implications for the fulfillment of material requirements by member states, particularly the United States, which insists on increasing defense budgets to 2% of GDP. In an interview with Bloomberg News Agency, widely cited by "European Pravda," Golob highlighted that initial consolidated steps are already being formed around this initiative. According to him, several NATO member countries are actively working on agreeing upon a common methodology for calculating and accounting for defense expenditures, which they believe will help make financial indicators more objective, transparent, and inclusive of all essential components of national security. Golob noted that NATO has long faced issues with the underdeveloped standard framework for calculating expenditures. Currently, different countries use their own models, complicating comparisons and the overall assessment of defense investments. Therefore, one of the key ideas is to create a unified approach that would formally include all costs, including investments in the European Union's defense industrial complex. This proposal, according to Golob, should be reviewed and brought before NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the coming weeks. The Prime Minister emphasized that one of the major challenges now is to combine funding for armament and modernization of armies with the necessity of maintaining the competitiveness of national defense sectors. "We cannot afford to spend 5% of our GDP on defense if we do not account for the totality of investments in developing the defense industry, innovation, and technological modernization. These are not just numbers; they are a strategic necessity to ensure national security and economic resilience," Golob underscored. Background information indicates increasing pressure from the United States and other allies to raise defense expenditures to meet the 2% of GDP standard. According to diplomatic sources, NATO is currently developing a new strategic plan that aims to incorporate Washington's requirements while seeking a balance between financial commitments and the real capabilities of member countries. One of the key ideas is a long-term target of 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% allocated specifically for strengthening the defense industry and technological base of the Alliance. This would create a more flexible and comprehensive funding system, also considering investments in the latest defense technologies and manufacturing within the EU. Thus, Slovenia's initiative reflects a desire to reform NATO’s approach to defense financing—to make it more transparent, justified, and responsive to contemporary security challenges. Such a move could potentially shift the balance of internal commitments among allies and lay the foundation for more effective cooperation in defense investments and technologies, which is critically important in the context of global geopolitics and increasing competition among major world powers.