With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the role and capabilities of NATO, including defense spending, are in the spotlight (Defense News, NATO - News). The question will be suspended on 31 December 2022 and the outcome determined using data from the first NATO defense expenditure report that includes data for 2023 released in 2023, including estimates (NATO - Information on defence expenditures). In case of any ambiguity between the PDF and the spreadsheet downloads, figures per "Download the tables in Excel format" will be used. According to the June 2021 report, which included estimates for 2021 spending, ten countries spent 2.0% or more of their real GDP on defense (NATO - Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2014-2021), see Download options at bottom of page).

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NOTE 15 August 2022: The outcome will be determined using data as reported by NATO for 2023, including Finland and Sweden if NATO reports their defense expenditures as member states.

The question closed "Between 11 and 13" with a closing date of 7 July 2023.

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