×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Sunday
15
Feb 2026
weather symbol
Athens 19°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Greece 3rd in NATO spending (infographic)

Spain spends the least on NATO

Newsroom December 4 09:15

Greece is third after Bulgaria and the US in terms of relative military expenditure in NATO as it spent 2.28% of its GDP in 2017, with the US spending 3.42 of its GDP.

World leaders are in London to mark the military alliance’s  70th anniversary, an occasion that has so far been particularly frosty considering tensions between President Trump and America’s European allies. The event is also taking place amid the UK’s drawn-out divorce with the EU while Trump is facing an impeachment inquiry at home. Given his unpredictability at last year’s summit, something clearly on display during his meting in front of the cameras with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, all eyes continue to be on President Trump once again this time around. The 2018 event was one of the most turbulent in NATO’s history with Trump lambasting other alliance members for not upping their defence expenditure before claiming European leaders caved in to his demands, something they subsequently denied.

Despite all of the chaos and controversy, Trump’s demands have resulted in more countries sharing NATO’s financial burden. In 2017, five countries met the goal of spending 2 percent of their GDP on defence and that has now increased to nine according to the alliance’s latest budgetary data. The U.S. is set to spend over $730 billion on its military this year and it’s joined above the 2 percent threshold by Bulgaria (3.25 percent), Greece (2.28 percent), the United Kingdom (2.14 percent), Estonia (2.14 percent), Romania (2.04 percent), Lithuania (2.03 percent), Latvia (2.01 percent) and Poland (2 percent).

>Related articles

Violanta factory owner to testify on Tuesday: Evidence that led to the new arrest

Decline in mortgage lending, fears of foreclosures and investment uncertainty: the side effects of the ruling on loans under the Katseli Law

Traffic restrictions on Attiki Odos due to works – carriageway towards the Airport closed from Elefsina to Aigaleo

Despite the improvement, Trump still isn’t happy with spending levels and before he left for London, he reiterated his views that the U.S. is contributing too much, calling other alliance members “delinquent”. America’s allies fear the president’s stance could pose a threat to NATO’s survival and in September, then National Security Advisor John Bolton said that Trump could take America “full isolationist” if he wins a second term next November. The New York Times has reported on several occasions that Trump has privately stated that he would like to withdraw from NATO.

source statista

Infographic: NATO Defense Expenditure | Statista You will find more infographics at Statista

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#expenditure#greece#military#NATO
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Anna Psarouda-Benaki dies at the age of 92

February 15, 2026

Violanta factory owner to testify on Tuesday: Evidence that led to the new arrest

February 15, 2026

Contracts with Chevron–Helleniq Energy to be signed tomorrow: When seismic surveys begin

February 15, 2026

Decline in mortgage lending, fears of foreclosures and investment uncertainty: the side effects of the ruling on loans under the Katseli Law

February 15, 2026

Traffic restrictions on Attiki Odos due to works – carriageway towards the Airport closed from Elefsina to Aigaleo

February 15, 2026

Stunning national record by Greek athlete Roussou in the 1,500 metres

February 15, 2026

Weather: storms, gusty winds and African dust – Where conditions will be most severe

February 15, 2026

Owner of Violanta arrested again after charges upgraded to felony – Video

February 14, 2026
All News

> World

Politico on the Munich Conference: Europe is spending more on defense and can stand up to the US

As analysts note, this Europe is “a creation of Trump” — and he may ultimately not like it

February 14, 2026

Dramatic helicopter rescue of three men who fell into a frozen lake in New York, watch video

February 14, 2026

Macron: We will work to strengthen the criminalisation of anti-Semitic and racist acts

February 14, 2026

Violent clash in Lyon: Antifascists vs. nationalists, 23-year-old declared brain-dead

February 13, 2026

Munich Conference formalizes the rift: Rubio cancels last-minute Ukraine meeting – “We must free ourselves from dependence on the US,” say Merz & Macron

February 13, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα