NATO’s European allies and Canada have stepped up their defense spending to record levels, but criticism about the Alliance’s members not spending enough is valid, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Feb. 14. Speaking at a press conference ahead of a meeting of the NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Stoltenberg assured that 18 NATO allies are projected to meet the 2% GDP defense spending target – a six-fold increase from 2014 when only three allies upheld their commitments. “In 2024, NATO allies in Europe will invest a combined total of $380 billion in defense,” Stoltenberg said. …