Fact check: The NATO requirement spending isn't 2% of GDP every year. It's actually 2% of GDP on average across 5 years. So, theoretically, a country could spend 10% of its GDP on defence in one year, and then spend 0% over the next 4 years, and it would still meet the NATO requirement.

1. Summary of the results

The original statement's core claim about the 5-year averaging of NATO's 2% GDP defense spending requirement appears to be incorrect. Multiple sources confirm that NATO members agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense annually ^[1], with this target being established in 2014 ^{[2] [2]}. There is no mention in any of the provided sources about the possibility of averaging spending over multiple years.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• As of 2022, only 7 out of 30 NATO members were meeting the 2% requirement ^[3]
• This number is expected to increase to 11 members in 2023 ^{[3] [4]}
• Major economies are still falling short of the target:
• France: 1.9% of GDP
• Germany: 1.57% of GDP ^[1]

Countries bordering Russia or Ukraine are more likely to meet the requirement due to perceived threats ^[1]

The 2% target was specifically established in response to Russia's actions in 2014 ^[2]

The deadline for meeting this requirement was set for 2025 ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to be attempting to minimize the significance of NATO's defense spending requirements by suggesting there's a loophole in the system. This could benefit:

• Countries that consistently underspend on defense and face criticism for it, such as Germany and France ^[1]
• Political actors who oppose increased military spending in their countries
• Those who want to downplay NATO's military readiness

The statement's hypothetical scenario about spending 10% in one year and 0% in others is particularly misleading, as the sources indicate that the requirement is annual ^[1], not averaged over time. By 2024, 23 Allies are expected to meet or exceed the target ^[2], showing that NATO members are actually moving toward more consistent compliance with the requirement.