Fact check

All allies reaffirm their commitment to the 2% of GDP defence‑spending guideline and call on those not yet meeting it – including the Czech Republic – to increase their defence budgets.

"We need every Alliance member, including the Czech Republic, to step up their defence investments to meet the 2% target and ensure collective security," Stoltenberg said.

The Alliance urges all members, citing the Czech Republic as one of the countries that should accelerate its defence spending to reach the 2% of GDP benchmark.

took office late last year, pushed back against the latest barb from Washington. While reiterating that NATO membership is crucial for Czechia, the premier bluntly stated that the government cannot afford to accelerate spending. He has…

Babis government has failed to keep pace in terms of the national defense budget, even as neighbors have leapt into action. Prague spent just 1.86% of GDP on defense last year; Poland and the Baltic States have already met the new NATO…

Politics Czech Republic Czech PM Babis under fire for missing NATO spending targets Tim Gosling in Prague 09/24/2026 September 24, 2026 The US and NATO want Czechia to spend more on defense. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says Prague…

spending," Matthew Whitaker, the US envoy to NATO , demanded in Prague last week. "We ⁠expect our allies to step up," he said. The call is nothing new. As warnings about the threat emanating from Russia increase, and Washington demands…

NATO officials said the alliance expects the Czech Republic to raise its defence budget closer to the 2% of GDP goal during a meeting in Brussels on July 12, 2024.

NATO does not set individual spending targets beyond the collective 2% guideline; requests are made to the Alliance as a whole, not to specific nations such as the Czech Republic.

While NATO urges all members to meet the 2% target, the BBC notes that the Alliance does not issue formal, country‑specific spending mandates, and Czech officials interpret the calls as general guidance.