NATO has released the latest figures on spending levels across the Alliance. An analysis of 28 of the 29 member states (excluding Iceland) shows that since Russia's intervention in Ukraine in 2014, most member states have significantly increased their levels of defence spending in real terms.. An article from RUSI gives context to remarks by President Trump at the NATO Summit.

The figures also show a significant convergence in spending levels between member states, with the largest increases taking place in those countries that have historically spent less on defence, especially in Central and Eastern Europe.

While much of the focus is on spending by states such as US, Germany, France, UK it is important not to ignore the very large increases in spending across many of the Alliance's other members, including most of the Alliance's smaller and more eastern states. For the Alliance as a whole, the median spending increase since 2014 has been 20% in real terms.

NATO Spending: The Great Convergence is a RUSI Newsbrief article written by Professor Malcolm Chalmers. Access analysis at: https://rusi.org/publication/newsbrief/nato-spending-great-convergence

Professor Malcolm Chalmers, pictured here, is Deputy Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)