{"id":17135,"date":"2018-02-02T16:30:59","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T16:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/02\/norway-lawmakers-warn-of-slippage-from-nato-defense-spending-target\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:31:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:31:37","slug":"norway-lawmakers-warn-of-slippage-from-nato-defense-spending-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2018\/02\/02\/norway-lawmakers-warn-of-slippage-from-nato-defense-spending-target\/","title":{"rendered":"Norway lawmakers warn of \u2018slippage\u2019 from NATO defense spending target"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HELSINKI \u2014 Norway\u2019s newly formed Conservative-led government is under pressure from opposition leaders to raise defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product by 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposition leaders fear the lack of an ambitious capital investment plan for Norway\u2019s military organization will lead to spending on defense falling from 1.5 percent of GDP in 2018 to 1.5 percent by 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norway\u2019s spend on defense is estimated to have corresponded to 1.59 percent of GDP in 2017. Latest indicators suggest that the 1.5 percent ratio might continue until 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fall in the defense spending-to-GDP ratio is certain to unnerve NATO and the United States<\/a>, said Anniken Huitfeldt, a lawmaker and the Labor Party\u2019s leader on the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During talks with NATO and more recently the White House, Norway signaled its intent to increase spending and meet the 2 percent level sought by NATO, according to Huitfeldt. The Western alliance wants member nations to reach the 2 percent level by 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\t