Although last year provided evidence of great improvement, Romania and Bulgaria still need to continue increasing their defense spending to strengthen NATO’s southeastern flank.
Both nations spent over 2% of their gross domestic product—the measure of the total value of goods and services their countries’ produced—on their defense in 2024. Two percent is currently the required amount for NATO members.
This is a positive step in the direction of stronger European security. However, the two countries will need to increase their spending even more to meet new NATO requirements and ensure stability in the region, especially in the wake of the likely call for a new, higher minimum spending number at the NATO summit in The Hague next month.
Regional Importance
Romania and Bulgaria are two of three NATO members on the Black Sea, where Russia keeps its Black Sea…
