U.S. Department of Defense
March 29, 2022

General Says NATO Is Stepping Up Defense Investments

“We are witnessing a generational moment, a historic demonstration of unity in will and an unprecedented effort by allies to strengthen defense while simultaneously helping those in need,” said [Air Force General Tod] Wolters, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO supreme commander in Europe.

For instance, NATO ally Germany has committed to meeting the alliance’s 2% benchmark for military spending, he said. “We expect other allies will follow and redouble efforts to adequately invest in defense…from Turkey in the southeast, to Norway, Sweden and Finland.”

***

Years of focused investment through the European Reassurance Initiative and European Deterrence Initiative include facilities, prepositioned equipment, rotational deployments, and all-domain exercises to improve speed and agility, Wolters said.

Thanks to these initiatives, the Army was able to deploy an entire armored brigade combat team from the U.S. to Germany in just one week amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he said. “That level of speed and agility is unmatched.”

Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, testified that Transcom, in concert with Eucom, is providing critical aid to Ukraine and assuring NATO allies through troop deployments and exercises.