BRUSSELS: NATO's European allies are pushing back against US criticism that they are not spending enough on defence, as President Donald Trump ratchets up pressure ahead of a summit next week.
After Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, NATO allies agreed in 2014 to end defence budget cuts, to begin spending more as their economies grew and to move toward a goal of 2 per cent of GDP within a decade.
In an email to The Associated Press today, Norwegian Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen said that "Norway stands by its decision of the NATO Summit in 2014 and is following up on this."
Ahead of the July 11-12 summit, Trump sent letters to Norway and several other allies demanding that they recommit to military spending.