The additional budget that the Federal Government wants to invest in defence over the next few years will probably not be enough, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told the Chamber of Representatives on Wednesday.
"European countries have gone too far in their defence cuts," he said to the Interior Committee. Before the Russian forces invaded Ukraine at the end of last month, the Federal Government had decided to invest more than €10 billion in Belgium's military in the coming years.
If all went according to plan, by 2030, 1.54% of the GDP would go to defence, compared to only 1.12% in 2021, according to NATO figures. Yet NATO requires investments of 2% of GDP from each of its members (which includes Belgium). Following the invasion of Ukraine, several political parties are calling for additional resources for defence.
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According to De Croo, it is clear that the additional resources the government had already released "will not be enough," as he said during a meeting with MEPs on the national security strategy.
The Prime Minister also referred to the extraordinary NATO summit scheduled for the end of next week, with U.S. President Joe Biden travelling to Brussels. He said that the main demand will be to invest in the army's short-term operational capacities.
"It is clear that our country must also assume its responsibilities. What is happening in Ukraine is Europe's 9/11, which will have considerable consequences here in terms of security."
