US troops could pay price if NATO allies don't make major change, former VP's group warns

FIRST ON FOX: U.S. troops could be forced into a Russian war if the surrounding NATO countries fail to increase their military spending, according to former President Mike Pence's lobbying group, Advancing American Freedom (AAF).

In a memo sent to Congress on Tuesday, AAF claims several countries have not fulfilled their NATO-sanctioned 2% obligation, leaving the heaviest burden on the U.S. In 2014, only the U.S., U.K., and Greece upheld its treaty obligations during Russia's Crimea invasion, with non-compliant countries averaging 1.3% of GDP on defense.

What's more, under the Biden administration, some countries like Turkey, Norway and Italy have regressed, moving closer to 2014 levels despite overall spending growth, according to the memo.

"By contrast, the Trump-Pence Administration made improving allied-burden sharing a major priority for foreign policy to significant effect," the memo reads.

UKRAINE IMPLEMENTS PASSPORT RENEWAL RESTRICTION FOR MILITARY-AGE MEN OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY

"This trend is especially alarming to observe in countries bordering Russia and Ukraine," the memo said, adding that "the countries closest to the conflict ought to be carrying the lion’s share of the burden."

The 2% obligation refers to the commitment made by NATO allies to allocate at least 2% of their GDP to defense spending.

While all NATO countries in the region raised defense spending after Crimea's annexation, Norway and Romania reduced military expenditures during the Biden administration, despite increased Russian activity as it launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. AAF concluded the U.S. "must find ways to encourage and, if necessary, pressure its allies" to uphold its end of NATO's burden-sharing commitment.

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