France to Achieve NATO Target in 2024

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu indicated today, Thursday, that "France will achieve this year the NATO target of spending two percent of its gross domestic product on defense." Lecornu stated, "France will meet the goal set by the alliance in 2024 by spending two percent." Under the French military programming law 2024-2030, France has significantly increased its defense spending by an amount of 413 billion euros (443.40 billion dollars) over the next seven years. The new budget was initially expected to reach two percent of GDP starting in 2025.