Belgian defense minister: NATO boosting budgets

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Transcript

00:00We've had countries such as Spain questioning whether that 5% is doable.

00:06Belgium itself is only hitting 2%.

00:09I know that there's a 10-year lead way on this increased spending.

00:14But do you think it's achievable or is it more just an effort to appease President Trump?

00:19No, it's not about President Trump.

00:22It's also European allies like Scandinavian countries, Baltic countries that really demand this 5%.

00:28It is about capabilities.

00:30We need to step up.

00:32We need to have more capabilities, real capabilities, not only words, but also real capabilities.

00:38So it is clear that we need to increase our defense spending.

00:42Is it realistic?

00:43You need to know we're coming from 1.3 beginning of the year.

00:47We're doing two.

00:48In a couple of months, new government, we decided to do two.

00:51We have a new review on a strategic vision that was approved upon yesterday by the government.

00:57So we're doing it step by step.

00:59We're only five months in office.

01:01We do it by step by step.

01:02Now we have a new DIP.

01:04And then we'll see in the years that come how we will try to fix that and how we will try to do that.

01:12So step by step, Belgium is stepping up and is a reliable partner.

01:16Belgium is back.

01:17We were always a very bad pupil of NATO class.

01:19We were one of the founding fathers, but we were a really bad pupil, one of the worst.

01:23So now we're stepping up.

01:24We're doing the 2%.

01:25We have the DIP.

01:26And then we'll have a lot of capabilities coming in.

01:29So...

01:30So...

01:31So...

01:32So...

01:33So...