Norway becomes latest European state to boost defence spending

Earlier this month, oil-rich Norway said it wants to increase the number of conscripted soldiers from 9,000 to 13,500 by 2036.

Transcript

00:00 Norway has announced it will double its military spending over the next 12 years, an increase

00:05 of around 56 billion euros.

00:07 It will get a minimum of five new frigates and at least five new submarines, the government

00:13 said.

00:14 The Baltic states, Finland, Poland and Norway all share borders with Russia, and they have

00:19 been boosting their defences since Ukraine was invaded.

00:25 We are facing a serious security situation in our part of the world.

00:32 We also have a great need and a significant lack of defence here at home.

00:37 We need a defence that is adapted to our time and our challenges.

00:43 Meanwhile in the Netherlands, hundreds of thousands of young people have received a

00:47 sobering message from the defence ministry.

00:49 They've been told their normally voluntary military service could become compulsory if

00:54 war breaks out.

00:55 I think it's very important that they do that, that they make young people aware that

01:03 they should join the army if possible.

01:05 It's about time all those wars came to an end.

01:08 Earlier this week, NATO foreign ministers met to mark the bloc's 75th anniversary.

01:13 Top on the agenda was setting up a 100 billion euro fund to support Ukraine's military.

01:19 NATO members are supposed to spend 2% of their budget on defence, but 18 of them still don't.

01:25 [BLANK_AUDIO]