Bill Gates criticizes Sweden’s overspending on military
(MENAFN) US billionaire Bill Gates has voiced criticism over Sweden’s decision to significantly increase military spending while cutting back on its contributions to global aid initiatives.
In an interview with a news agency published Wednesday, Gates, known for his extensive philanthropic efforts, expressed disappointment that Sweden’s latest budget does not allocate funding for the Global Fund, which combats AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria worldwide.
Addressing the rise in defense funding, Gates said the matter “should be debated more,” asking, “Is this what people want to see, and is it really necessary?”
In response, Foreign Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa defended the government’s priorities. ”If we don’t want our children to speak Russian in the future, we need to have a very strong defense,” he stated in comments to a news agency.
After the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, Sweden ended its long-standing policy of neutrality and joined NATO two years later. In July, SVT reported that the government planned to raise the maximum conscription age for former officers from 47 to 70, with the goal of expanding the armed forces to 115,000 personnel by 2030.
Earlier this year, the Swedish parliament approved an additional 300 billion kronor ($31.4 billion) for the military, alongside ongoing annual increases.
At a June summit in The Hague, NATO members agreed to raise defense spending targets from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035. The European Union has also launched several defense initiatives this year, including the €800 billion ReArm Europe program.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
