Article content continued

Obama and leaders of NATO’s other member countries open a summit Thursday in Wales that is expected to be dominated by how the U.S-led alliance should react over the long term to Russian actions toward Ukraine and the implications for security in Europe.

The U.S. president and the U.K. Prime Minister will call on European leaders to do more to defend the continent from its increasing threats by meeting commitments to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence.

NATO members at the two-day meeting in Newport will debate how to cope with crises in Ukraine and Iraq.

The White House said military spending was a “top priority.” But diplomats believe that the plea will be rejected by countries who complain they are still emerging from recession and refuse to be held to an “arbitrary” spending target.

Currently only four NATO members reach the two per cent target, including Britain and America.

The Canadian government has baulked at the rise from its current level of one per cent.

Britain has refused to commit to the target after this parliament and defence chiefs fear the military budget will dip below the two per cent mark soon.

Former senior military commanders said last night that NATO allies must shoulder their share of the military burden and stop relying on others to prop them up.

Lord West, a former head of the Navy, said: “People in a number of countries have been willing to get a free ride and are not spending. If you look at Europe, it’s only France and the UK who meet the target.