WASHINGTON, January 9 (Sputnik) – US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Slovakian Defense Minister Martin Glvac have held a meeting at the Pentagon discussing a range of topics including Slovakia's NATO defense investment obligations, US Defense Department spokesperson, Rear Adm. John Kirby, has announced.
"Minister Glváč assured Secretary Hagel that Slovakia will fulfil the obligations to which they committed at the summit in Wales," Kirby said in a press release Thursday, adding that "Minister Glváč highlighted that Slovakia committed to spending 1.6 percent of GDP on defense by 2020, and by 2016 they plan to allocate 20 percent of the defense budget for modernization".
At a summit in Wales in September, NATO members committed to certain levels of military spending and decided to strengthen capabilities in order to meet the alliance's collective security responsibilities, according to the summit's declaration.
At the Wales summit NATO members also agreed to set up the Spearhead Force, enabling the alliance to protect its member states by sending troops there within days or even hours if needed.
NATO has been strengthening its military presence in Eastern Europe amid the crisis in Ukraine, having accused Moscow of meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs. Russia has repeatedly denied the claim, expressing concern over the buildup of NATO forces along its western border.
