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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Trump: Nato states to increase defence funding | Trump: Nato states to increase defence funding |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump says Nato countries have agreed to increase their military spending. | US President Donald Trump says Nato countries have agreed to increase their military spending. |
| Speaking after a two-day summit in Brussels, he said allies had committed to spending more than 2% of their annual output (GDP) on defence budgets. | Speaking after a two-day summit in Brussels, he said allies had committed to spending more than 2% of their annual output (GDP) on defence budgets. |
| The president has been highly critical of the alliance, complaining the US pays more than others. | The president has been highly critical of the alliance, complaining the US pays more than others. |
| After the meeting, he said he believed in Nato and it was "presently unnecessary" to consider quitting it. | After the meeting, he said he believed in Nato and it was "presently unnecessary" to consider quitting it. |
| In 2014, all Nato members agreed to increase their defence spending to 2% of their GDP by 2024. | |
| Mr Trump wants this to happen sooner, and has previously urged Nato allies to commit at least 4% of GDP. | |
| "We made a tremendous amount of progress today," he said. "It has been really amazing to see the level of spirit in that room." | "We made a tremendous amount of progress today," he said. "It has been really amazing to see the level of spirit in that room." |
| He said Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg had given "total credit" to him for the increased spending, which he said he instigated during his first Nato meeting last year. | He said Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg had given "total credit" to him for the increased spending, which he said he instigated during his first Nato meeting last year. |
| Mr Stoltenberg has yet to comment. | |
| After the summit, President Emmanuel Macron denied any increases had been made to the existing goal, according to the Associated Press. | |
| He referred to a joint communiqué that was published the day before. "It confirms the goal of 2% by 2024. That's all," he said. | |
| He said France would commit to this figure and deadline, but he was unconvinced by proposals to increase it to 4%. | |
| Mr Trump's early-morning tweets from Brussels had been typically critical. | Mr Trump's early-morning tweets from Brussels had been typically critical. |
| President Macron said the meetings had a different tone to the tweets and were more respectful, according to Reuters. | |
| In a separate briefing, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was a clear commitment to Nato from all attendees. | |
| The US leader has specifically singled out Germany for criticism over its defence spending. | The US leader has specifically singled out Germany for criticism over its defence spending. |
| He has also accused the country of being held prisoner to imported Russian energy, saying it is "totally controlled" by Moscow. | He has also accused the country of being held prisoner to imported Russian energy, saying it is "totally controlled" by Moscow. |
| President Trump's next stop after Belgium is the UK, where he will arrive early in the afternoon to begin a two-day working visit, which is expected to spark public protests. | President Trump's next stop after Belgium is the UK, where he will arrive early in the afternoon to begin a two-day working visit, which is expected to spark public protests. |