Brussels: The European Union has announced that 16 of its member states have requested temporary exemptions from budget rules to allow for increased military spending.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the EU disclosed that these requests come as part of efforts to bolster military capabilities in response to potential threats from Russia and the possibility of a US withdrawal from Europe.

The countries seeking these exemptions include Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Finland. The European Union provided its members until Wednesday to submit their intentions to enhance military capacities. Out of these, 12 countries have formally applied for the exemption, while four others have pledged to do so.

The European Commission had previously explained that by activating this provision, the EU could allocate up to £650 billion by 2030 for military enhancements, although this figure remains an estimate. Despite these developments, countries such as France, Spain, and Italy have chosen not to pursue the exemption, although they have committed to increasing their military budgets.

Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner for the Economy, stated, “We remain open to other requests” for exemptions. Military spending among EU-27 nations has risen by over 31 percent since 2021, with expenditures expected to reach £326 billion by 2024.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged European nations to raise their military spending as a percentage of GDP to 5%. However, this target remains unmet by any NATO country, including the US, where military spending accounts for 3.4% of GDP.