Much hay has been made about Sweden’s entry into NATO. While it is a good thing that Sweden—which was officially neutral but was essentially acting as a free rider—is finally partaking in the defense of its continent, its arrival highlights a continuing problem: Sweden, and most NATO states, are still spending less than 2% of their budgets on GDP. But it even moreso shines a light on why this is happening: many European states simply cannot afford to spend more on defense.
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