Europe Faces Call for Shared Defense Efforts

French Finance Minister Eric Lombard urged EU countries to enhance and equitably share their defense spending to achieve strategic autonomy. Currently, France meets NATO's 2% GDP defense budget target, while several EU countries fall short. Collaborative financial efforts are necessary for improved European defense systems.

BRUSSELS, Feb 17 (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Eric Lombard has called for European countries to improve the distribution of defense financing. In pursuit of strategic autonomy, Lombard emphasized the need for EU nations to increase their defense budgets, with France already contributing significantly.

Speaking to journalists, Lombard pointed out that France dedicates about 60 billion euros, or 2% of its GDP, to defense, meeting NATO guidelines. He expressed a desire for other EU member states to match this commitment, underlining the importance of shared responsibility.

NATO data illustrates that several European countries, including Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Spain, spend less than the recommended 2% of GDP on defense. The push for increased and equitable spending is key in bolstering European defense autonomy.