Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has called for a renewed focus on European defense spending as the United States’ commitment to fully defending Europe appears to be waning.
Speaking to Echo24, Fiala emphasized the need for NATO members to consider increasing defense budgets beyond the current 2 percent of GDP, potentially to 3 percent, in response to global security challenges.
Fiala acknowledged that the Czech Republic, for the first time in two decades, has met NATO’s current defense spending target of 2 percent, a benchmark enshrined in legislation to ensure consistent prioritization of national security.
In 2024, the country allocated 166.8 billion crowns (€6.6 billion) for defense, representing 2.09 percent of GDP, according to the Ministry of Defense. However, Fiala argued that the evolving international landscape necessitates greater investment in defense capabilities.
The Czech leader proposed that increasing defense spending to 3 percent of GDP would be a gradual process, requiring long-term planning and commitment from NATO member states, but insisted those conversations should be had.
“Two percent is the minimum today, but not all states even meet that. We need to discuss whether higher spending is necessary and feasible,” Fiala said. He also highlighted the economic benefits of defense investment, including domestic industrial growth, innovation, and technological development.
“Regardless of whether Donald Trump or someone else would win in America, the readiness of the U.S. to provide the complete defense of Europe is decreasing. That’s enough to watch the internal social debate in the United States, and that’s why it’s in our interest to take care of our defense,” he noted.
Fiala pointed to steps taken by his government, such as the decision to purchase F-35 fighter jets, as evidence of its commitment to modernizing the Czech military. He stressed the importance of involving Czech industry in such investments to ensure local economic benefits such as higher wages and jobs.
Fiala’s comments come amid increasing pressure from the United States for NATO allies to shoulder a greater share of defense costs. Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his stance this week that NATO members should increase their defense budgets, even suggesting a target of 5 percent of GDP.
“They can all afford it, but they should be at 5 percent, not 2 percent,” the incoming U.S. president told reporters on Tuesday.
“Europe is in for a tiny fraction of the money that we’re in. We have a thing called the ocean in between us, right? Why are we in for billions and billions of dollars more money than Europe?” added Trump, who has long been critical of NATO’s burden-sharing, arguing that the U.S. disproportionately funds the alliance.
The debate over defense spending has gained urgency in light of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which has spurred NATO to reinforce its eastern flank. According to NATO estimates, 23 member countries met the 2 percent GDP target in 2024, up from just three a decade earlier. Poland led the pack with defense spending at 4.12 percent of GDP, followed by Estonia, Latvia, Greece, and the United States — all surpassing the 3 percent mark.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also recently echoed calls for increased spending, stating, “We are going to need a lot more than 2 percent.”
