Australia stands firm defense spending amid US pressure

(MENAFN) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed his government’s commitment to a defense spending strategy tailored to the country's specific needs, despite pressure from the Trump administration to align with more aggressive targets.

According to reports, Albanese made it clear on Friday that Australia would not raise its defense expenditure to 3.5% of GDP as urged by Washington. Instead, Canberra plans to gradually increase spending from the current 2% to 2.3% by 2034.

"We have increased our defence investment. We have increased it by $57 billion over the medium-term; and by more than $10 billion in the short-term as well. My job is to look after Australia's national interest — that includes our defence and security interests. And that is precisely what we're doing," Albanese stated.

The announcement came a day after Defense Minister Richard Marles echoed similar sentiments, underscoring that Australia will remain on its existing fiscal track despite external pressure to take on greater military spending obligations.

The calls for higher defense spending follow a recent agreement among NATO members — a group that does not include Australia — to raise their defense budgets to 5% of GDP. The proposed target is divided into two major allocations: a minimum of 3.5% for traditional defense capabilities and up to 1.5% for areas like cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and industrial resilience.

Australian officials have emphasized that their current trajectory reflects a strategic balance between strengthening national security and maintaining broader economic priorities.

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