Portugal on Monday said it was ready to bring forward its planned increases on defence spending -- among the lowest in NATO -- to meet the defence alliance's two-percent of GDP minimum before 2029. And after a meeting on Monday with Rutte in Lisbon,

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged member states of the alliance on Monday to step up defence spending beyond their common goal of 2% of national output set a decade ago, saying this was now too low because of new challenges.

The 23 EU members who also belong to NATO are likely to agree to raise the defence spending target above the current 2% of national output at a June summit of the alliance that will set a new level, European Council President Antonio Costa said.