Latest news with #NATOParliamentaryAssembly
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Diplomatic discussions with Balkan leaders held during NATO assembly
The Dayton NATO Parliamentary Assembly masked top-secret negotiations to ensure the pace in the Balkans is maintained. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7's Mike Campbell was at Sinclair College, where those talks were being held. He will have the latest information LIVE on News Center 7 at 5:00. Congressman Mike Turner made it clear that the Dayton Accords have held the peace and stopped the bloodshed for 30 years. With seven heads of state from places like Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo all in Dayton, it was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up. 'The dialogue that happens means they will leave here with a to-do list for follow-up,' Turner said. We will continue to update this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NATO set to commit to five percent defense spending goal amid threats from Trump
NATO Secretary General and former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said that he believes that the alliance will commit to a new defense spending goal of five percent of GDP at its next summit in June. "I assume that in The Hague we will agree on a higher defense spending target of in total five percent," he said at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Dayton, Ohio, Politico noted. The expected measure comes after months of pressure from President Donald Trump. Earlier this year, the commander-in-chief warned that NATO allies would put American protection at risk if members did not increase their own military spending. Many allies rejected the notion at the time as mere political noise. But tensions in Europe's relationship with Russia have increased, the discussion has shifted, with a greater focus on European military readiness. A rising number of leaders are backing the new goal, a significant jump from NATO's current two percent of GDP target. Dick Schoof said earlier this month that Rutte, his predecessor in the role as Dutch prime minister, wrote to NATO leaders arguing that they must reach 3.5 percent of GDP on 'hard military spending,' and 1.5 percent of GDP on spending connected to 'infrastructure, cybersecurity and other things.' Rutte's comments on Monday were the first time that the secretary general backed the five percent target. The boost would be substantial. No country currently spends 5 percent of their GDP. The U.S. spends about 3.5 percent. Rutte didn't specifically share the makeup of the five percent goal, but noted that the baseline for traditional military spending would be 'considerably north of 3 percent.' He added that further funding would be expected to go toward infrastructure and logistics. The most recent numbers from the alliance reveal that 23 of the 32 member states are on pace to be spending at least two percent by the summer. That's a significant increase since 2014, when the target was set following the initial Russian military activity against Ukraine. At that time, only three members were spending that much. Poland, the top spender in the alliance, spends about 4.7 percent of its GDP. Lithuania and Latvia have said they have plans to hit or go past five percent in the next two years.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
NATO set to commit to five percent defense spending goal amid threats from Trump
NATO Secretary General and former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said that he believes that the alliance will commit to a new defense spending goal of five percent of GDP at its next summit in June. "I assume that in The Hague we will agree on a higher defense spending target of in total five percent," he said at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Dayton, Ohio, Politico noted. The expected measure comes after months of pressure from President Donald Trump. Earlier this year, the commander-in-chief warned that NATO allies would put American protection at risk if members did not increase their own military spending. Many allies rejected the notion at the time as mere political noise. But tensions in Europe 's relationship with Russia have increased, the discussion has shifted, with a greater focus on European military readiness. A rising number of leaders are backing the new goal, a significant jump from NATO's current two percent of GDP target. Dick Schoof said earlier this month that Rutte, his predecessor in the role as Dutch prime minister, wrote to NATO leaders arguing that they must reach 3.5 percent of GDP on 'hard military spending,' and 1.5 percent of GDP on spending connected to 'infrastructure, cybersecurity and other things.' Rutte's comments on Monday were the first time that the secretary general backed the five percent target. The boost would be substantial. No country currently spends 5 percent of their GDP. The U.S. spends about 3.5 percent. Rutte didn't specifically share the makeup of the five percent goal, but noted that the baseline for traditional military spending would be 'considerably north of 3 percent.' He added that further funding would be expected to go toward infrastructure and logistics. The most recent numbers from the alliance reveal that 23 of the 32 member states are on pace to be spending at least two percent by the summer. That's a significant increase since 2014, when the target was set following the initial Russian military activity against Ukraine. At that time, only three members were spending that much. Poland, the top spender in the alliance, spends about 4.7 percent of its GDP. Lithuania and Latvia have said they have plans to hit or go past five percent in the next two years.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Everyone felt welcome;' City leaders talk post-NATO
Crews are working to reopen downtown Dayton after the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Assistant City Manager for Dayton, Joe Parlette, said the city is pleased overall with how the NATO conference went. He believes the emphasis and transparency about security discouraged potential troublemakers. He admits they are hearing from some businesses that didn't do as well as hoped or simply closed because of the anticipated hassle. 'I know people around the community that themselves have recognized that foot traffic might have been a little less than it normally might be, and they're giving attention to those restaurants this week,' Parlette said. TRENDING STORIES: Grammy-nominated R&B singer arrested in animal cruelty case Miami Valley native known for hits 'Hang On Sloopy' and 'Weird Al' dies Man fishing under Ohio train bridge saves 14-month-old hit by train Parlette said many of the things done to prepare for NATO benefit the city down the road. 'I'm not sure how useful the big pictures of people's faces in windows are, but the new sidewalks, the expanded sidewalks in some places, I think that's really good,' Sam Buehring, who works downtown, said. Many employees worked from home, instead of the office, and said the NATO event was a fun and sometimes strange experience. 'I went into my own office, and there was some guy I've never seen before on the bottom floor saying 'oh you need to go that way,'' Beuhrig said. 'Everyone felt very welcome, everyone was impressed with our city and the amenities that we have,' Parlette said. Organizers are working to figure out how much money the NATO assembly brought to the Dayton economy. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NATO PA meeting in US reportedly "distanced" from Russia's war against Ukraine
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Dayton has focused much less attention on Russia's war against Ukraine than in previous gatherings over the past three years and the American delegation's attitude towards their Ukrainian counterparts was cooler. Source: Yehor Cherniev, head of Ukraine's permanent delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, as reported by European Pravda Details: Cherniev said that he had a mixed impression of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly session in Dayton, which is coming to an end, and that he had never encountered this before in the last three years. He noted that although there were many references to Ukraine and separate reports, overall the meeting tried to shift the focus from the Russo-Ukrainian war to events 30 years ago – the signing of the Dayton Agreement, which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cherniev also said that the meeting with the American delegation was not as warm as usual, which contrasted sharply with the absolute support from the Europeans behind the scenes. "Europeans, incidentally, were also surprised by the emphasis placed on this session of the NATO PA by the host side," said the head of the Ukrainian delegation. Nonetheless, Cherniev stated that the delegation was very satisfied with the final declaration of the NATO PA, which, in particular, rejected the Kremlin's ultimatum that Ukraine could not become a member of the Alliance. "In the end, I can still call this session very successful. The Europeans are categorically on our side, and we will work with the Americans," he concluded. Background: Earlier, it became known that because of US President Donald Trump, NATO is preparing a mini-declaration for the summit in The Hague, likely without mentioning Ukraine. It was also reported that the American side supposedly opposes inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the NATO summit. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied this information. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
