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STORY: :: Biden says 'we can and will defend

every inch of NATO territory'

"I'm very pleased that today all NATO members are making the pledge to expand our industrial base and our industrial capacity, like our defense spending commitment. This is a critical step to maintaining our security. For the first time ever, every NATO nation is pledging to develop plans for defense production at home. [FLASH] In my administration, we've already invested $30 billion in defense manufacturing to restart or expand production across 35 of our states. We're investing billions more. Result: stronger supply chains, stronger economy, stronger military and a stronger nation. Let me close with this. This new pledge sends an unmistakable message to the world that every NATO member is committed to doing their part to keep the alliance strong. We can and will defend every inch of NATO territory and we will do it together. In that we're investing in our future strength to ensure NATO will always be ready for whatever threats we will face should be a clear message we're making, we're send to the world."

:: Washington, D.C.

:: July 10, 2024

A draft communique prepared for the meeting of the 32-nation alliance said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with minimum funding of 40 billion euros ($43.28 billion) in military aid within the next year, but stopped short of the multi-year commitment NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had sought.

The draft, seen by Reuters, also strengthened past NATO language on China, calling it a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war effort in Ukraine and saying Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.