A record 23 of NATO’s 32 member nations are hitting the Western military alliance’s defense spending target this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday, as Russia’s war in Ukraine has raised the threat of expanding conflict in Europe.
The estimated figure is a nearly fourfold increase from 2021, when only six nations were meeting the goal. That was before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
— “A record number of NATO allies are hitting their defense spending target during war in Ukraine,” Associated Press
Dear Neighbor: An Open Response to Raj Bhakta
In response to a ‘Dear Neighbor’ letter from a local millionaire, I’m setting the record straight. As we approach our annual town meeting, he is using misinformation to pressure the town into action. My open letter challenges his claims and highlights the truth.