US NATO envoy says allies must 'pull weight' after Czech defence cut

PRAGUE, March 12 (Reuters) - The United States' ambassador to NATO said on Thursday that all allies must "pull their weight", after Czech lawmakers approved a 2026 budget that cuts defence outlays.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis' government, in power since December, pushed a revamped budget through the lower house on Wednesday evening which cut the defence ministry's allocation versus a previous proposal to 154.8 billion crowns ($7.3 billion), or 1.73% of gross domestic product.

That is below a NATO target of 2% of GDP already expected before alliance members pledged last year in The Hague to raise defence spending to 3.5% of GDP plus 1.5% on other defence-relevant investments over the next decade.

The Czech Finance Ministry says total defence spending in the budget will reach 2.07% of GDP, but the country's budget watchdog has warned that includes money earmarked elsewhere, like for the transport ministry for road projects, that may not be recognised by NATO.

"All Allies must pull their weight and honor The Hague Defense Commitment," U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on X on Thursday with a picture of a news headline on the Czech budget approval.

"These numbers are not arbitrary. They are about meeting the moment - and the moment requires 5% as the standard. No excuses, no opt-outs."

WATCHDOG DOUBTS SOME DEFENCE SPENDING MEETS DEFINITION

European NATO countries are under pressure to raise defence spending amid the Ukraine-Russia war and at U.S. President Donald Trump's urging.

Babis, whose populist ANO party won elections last year, said in February the country was "certainly not" on the path to raising core defence spending to the 3.5% target, saying there was a different focus, like on healthcare.

He defended plans on Thursday in a parliament session when pressed on defence spending commitments, and said outlays were at levels similar to other NATO states.

"We will of course fulfil our obligations to NATO," he said.

The budget watchdog on Thursday reiterated "strong doubts" that some spending deemed defence in this year's budget would meet NATO's definition.

President Petr Pavel, a former NATO official, has also said defence cuts risked a loss of trust from allies - but has signalled he would not veto the budget.

U.S. Ambassador to Prague Nicholas Merrick said last week the Czech Republic may slip to the bottom of NATO's defence-spending ranks.

($1 = 21.1860 Czech crowns)