Zoran Zaev told NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that Macedonia is prepared to increase its defense spending to 2 percent of GDP in just five years.

Macedonia currently spends just 135 million EUR per year on defense, and to reach the required 2 percent of GDP, this would have to increase to 200 million EUR. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska famously put NATO related defense spending at just 1.2 millon EUR per year, raising questions about how serious Zaev’s Government really is about increasing spending.

Zaev also promised Stoltenberg that Macedonia will increase its involvement in NATO military mission around the world.

Our goal is to increase our participation. That is a priority for us as a new full NATO member. We will assume our share of responsibility to contribute to a safe and prosperous region, Zaev said.

NATO invited Macedonia to join earlier this year, after a full decade under a Greek veto, after Zaev signed on to a deal which renames the country, redefines the Macedonian nation and allows Greece to rewrite the Macedonian history to its liking.