logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
18m 21s

Nato: Who’s spending what?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Wary of the perceived threat from Russia, the countries that make up the Nato Western military alliance are upping their spending on the military. But not fast enough, according to former US president Donald Trump, who has made the issue part of his election campaign.

So should governments in Europe be spending more on their collective defence? Do Europeans want them to, or would they rather that money go to things like education and healthcare instead?

As Sweden joins the alliance, we look at who is spending what within Nato, who is pulling their weight, and who is not.

We speak to people across Europe about what they want, and we talk to one former army chief, who says his country is woefully underprepared to defend itself.

Presenter/producer: Gideon Long Additional reporting from Bethany Bell, BBC correspondent in Vienna And additional recording by Maddy Savage in Stockholm and Kostas Kallergis in Brussels

(Photo: German Eurofighter Typhoon jets of TLG73 during Nato exercise. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Today
The cocoa conundrum
<p>Can Europe be weaned off cheap chocolate? EU efforts to block cocoa linked to deforestation were due to come into force at the end of this year – but have faced multiple delays. Another vote is due to take place soon. Some parties are pushing for further delay and modification ... Show More
20m 42s
Yesterday
Is this the end for South East Asia's scam centres?
<p>It’s one of the biggest human trafficking operations of modern times. Scam centres across South East Asia have been making hundreds of billions of dollars annually, it’s estimated, conning people into fake crypto-currency investment schemes. </p><p>But now these centres could ... Show More
18m 29s
Nov 24
Monetising Machu Picchu
<p>Peru is home to Machu Picchu - the ancient Inca city in the Andes mountains. </p><p>It's one of the seven wonders of the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The popular tourist destination attracts millions of visitors, making it very lucrative for the government, local a ... Show More
17m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2015
How Strong Is NATO?
War in Ukraine and the threat of conflict in the Baltics raise fundamental questions about the West’s military alliance. What is NATO for? And is it up to the job? More countries have been joining the club, but those who foot the bill seem to be becoming less keen to do so. Do wo ... Show More
23m 11s
May 2022
🇺🇦 NATO – An Alliance Revived?
As Sweden and Finland apply to join NATO, ending decades of military neutrality, how has Putin's invasion revived an alliance described as 'Braindead' by Emmanuel Macron just two years ago? Lord Peter Ricketts, a former Permanent Representative to NATO, ex-ambassador to France an ... Show More
37m 3s
Feb 2024
Can the EU defend Ukraine (and itself)?
Europe is waking up to the urgent need to strengthen its own defenses — especially as Donald Trump seems poised to capture the Republican nomination and possibly even the White House in November presidential elections. In this episode, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Florence Gau ... Show More
32m 10s
Oct 2021
Nato and China: A new rivalry?
This week in an interview with a British newspaper the Secretary General of Nato repeated his desire to widen its mandate to include China. His comments coincide with reports that Beijing has tested a hypersonic missile potentially capable of breaching US and European defences. T ... Show More
49m 9s