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| NATO member states must raise their game – Fallon | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Other NATO countries must raise their game and pull their weight as the US-dominated alliance seeks to reform and stay relevant, UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said. | |
| Following his meeting on NATO and the post-Brexit ‘special relationship’ with US Defense Secretary James Mattis, Fallon told reporters those who failed to meet the symbolic two percent of GDP defense spending commitment should at least agree to annual real terms increases. | |
| “We also agreed that NATO must modernize and streamline its military structures to ensure faster decision making.” | |
| “Britain’s global leadership role is as needed today as at any time in history,” Mattis told the press. | |
| He also accused Iran of being a primary exporter of terrorism and warned that North Korea poses a growing global threat. | |
| Ahead of a meeting Fallon spoke about the topics to be discussed. | |
| “Our defense relationship with the US is unprecedented in its depth and scope. As we leave the EU, our bilateral relationships matter more than ever, so we’ll be enhancing our cooperation and investing more in our joint F-35 fast jet program,” Fallon said in a statement. | “Our defense relationship with the US is unprecedented in its depth and scope. As we leave the EU, our bilateral relationships matter more than ever, so we’ll be enhancing our cooperation and investing more in our joint F-35 fast jet program,” Fallon said in a statement. |
| The two defense chiefs also discussed how they could update NATO for the modern world. | |
| “Together, we will also agree further steps to modernize NATO and ensure greater burden sharing,” Fallon said. | “Together, we will also agree further steps to modernize NATO and ensure greater burden sharing,” Fallon said. |
| “That means more European members committing to annual increases in their defense spending in order to counter an aggressive Russia and tackle terrorism and cyber threats." | “That means more European members committing to annual increases in their defense spending in order to counter an aggressive Russia and tackle terrorism and cyber threats." |
| The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also weighed in by talking down the EU’s financial contribution to NATO, an issue which the US and UK have repeatedly returned to. | The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also weighed in by talking down the EU’s financial contribution to NATO, an issue which the US and UK have repeatedly returned to. |
| "When Britain leaves the EU, around 80 percent of NATO defense spending will be non-EU, and three out of the four countries leading NATO’s s enhanced forward presence in Eastern Europe [a force deployed to deter Russia] will be non-EU members,” the department said in a statement. | "When Britain leaves the EU, around 80 percent of NATO defense spending will be non-EU, and three out of the four countries leading NATO’s s enhanced forward presence in Eastern Europe [a force deployed to deter Russia] will be non-EU members,” the department said in a statement. |
| President Trump has repeatedly stated his view that NATO is obsolete unless serious reforms are made to its role and purpose. | President Trump has repeatedly stated his view that NATO is obsolete unless serious reforms are made to its role and purpose. |