Poland commits to spend 2.5 percent of its GDP on defense

By AP

Published : Oct 23, 2017 - 20:57 Updated : Oct 23, 2017 - 21:02

WARSAW (AP) -- Poland's President Andrzej Duda has signed a law that will eventually increase the country's spending on defense to at least 2.5 percent of GDP, well above the 2 percent required by membership in NATO.

Polish Minister of Infrastructure and Construction Andrzej Adamczyk (C-L) and Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Volodymyr Omeljan (C-R) sign a memorandum on co-operation between the Polish and Ukrainian ministries on the construction of the Via Carpatia project in Przemysl, Poland, Sunday. EPA-Yonhap

It is part of an effort by Poland's conservative government to improve its defenses in reaction to security concerns created by Russia's intensified military activity in the region.

Poland is one of five NATO members, an alliance of 28, that spends 2 percent on defense. Under the new law it will raise spending to 2.1 percent in 2020 and to at least 2.5 percent in 2030.

It will also increase the number of troops serving in the military from 100,000 to 200,000. Some 50,000 of them will belong to a new so-called Territorial Defense Force.