Tuesday, December 23, 2025
ADVT 
National

NATO leaders agree to spend at least two per cent of their countries' GDP on defence

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Jul, 2023 10:05 AM
  • NATO leaders agree to spend at least two per cent of their countries' GDP on defence

NATO leaders have pledged to spend more on national defence, even as Canada and others are failing to meet the previous target.

A statement released this afternoon in Vilnius, Lithuania, says NATO members pledge to make two per cent of GDP the minimum spend each year, with one-fifth of that going to equipment.

The allies say they acknowledge that more is needed urgently to meet their commitments as members of the military alliance.

Only about a third of the 31 members are spending two per cent or more on defence.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas says her message to allies is that the threat from Russia is real and that more is needed.

She and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met earlier today, and she thanked him for Canada's commitment to send more troops and more money to a NATO mission in Latvia.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. man arrested with needle attached to arrow

B.C. man arrested with needle attached to arrow
Mounties say they were called to the parking lot of the Port Place Mall in the Vancouver Island city on Monday after the man was reportedly threatening people with a stick and the toy bow and arrow.

B.C. man arrested with needle attached to arrow

'Troubled' Eby seeks CSIS interference briefing

'Troubled' Eby seeks CSIS interference briefing
The report prompted Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim to say on Thursday that he was disgusted by its "insinuations," and he wouldn't be part of the conversation if he was Caucasian. Eby says the majority of tools to fight international interference are in federal hands, but he needs to know if there's any way for B.C. to "close any gaps" that the province may have available to it.

'Troubled' Eby seeks CSIS interference briefing

A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown

A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown
A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown, following a five-week Vancouver Police investigation. BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of second-degree murder against Jaal Routh Kueth, a 30-year-old man from Surrey. Kueth remains in custody.

A suspect has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a man in Chinatown

Take up case of 700 Punjabi students deportation from Canada: Sukhbir Badal

Take up case of 700 Punjabi students deportation from Canada: Sukhbir Badal
Giving details of the case, Badal said the students paid Rs 16 to Rs 20 lakh to the company which purportedly facilitated their admission in Humber College in Ontario by generating fake admission offer letters along with fake fee deposit receipts.

Take up case of 700 Punjabi students deportation from Canada: Sukhbir Badal

Inflation expected to have eased again in February

Inflation expected to have eased again in February
Statistics Canada is set to release its February consumer price index report on Tuesday, giving its most up-to-date reading on inflation ahead of the federal government's budget on March 28. Desjardins and RBC are both forecasting the inflation rate fell to 5.4 per cent last month, down from 5.9 per cent in January.

Inflation expected to have eased again in February

Man shot, killed by police in Prince George, B.C.

Man shot, killed by police in Prince George, B.C.
A statement from RCMP says the force has notified the independent B.C. office that investigates all cases of police-involved death or serious injury. Staff Sgt. Kris Clark says officers were called to Highway 97 just south of Prince George on Thursday because the man was in his vehicle and having a mental health crisis.

Man shot, killed by police in Prince George, B.C.