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,

LISBON (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the alliance members to step up their defence spending beyond their common goal of 2% of GDP, which had been set a decade ago and is now considered too low, he told reporters on Monday while visiting Lisbon.

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.