1545 GMT - NATO members should get ready to spend more than 3% of their gross domestic product on defense, the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte tells a press conference in Brussels. That level of spending would be the bare minimum to meet the defense goals and commitments agreed by the alliance, he says. Only five of the 32 NATO members--Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Poland and U.S.--spend above 3% on defense. The U.S. administration, which is putting pressure on the rest of NATO to boost defense spending, has "every right to be extremely irritated," Rutte says. (cristina.gallardo@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 13, 2025 10:46 ET (15:46 GMT)

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