A record number of NATO countries are expected to hit the military alliance's defence spending target this year, its secretary general has said.
In total, more than 20 NATO allies will spend at least 2% of their GDP on defence, Jens Stoltenberg said.
The estimated figure marks a near-fourfold increase from 2021 among the 32 members.
Only six nations were meeting the goal that year, before the war in Ukraine started.
The surge in spending reflects the worries of Western allies about the conflict.
Mr Stoltenberg made the comment during a visit to Washington, where he is laying the groundwork for what is expected to be a pivotal summit of NATO next month.
The mutual defence alliance has grown in strength and size since Russia's invasion of Ukraine two years ago, with both Sweden and Finland joining.
It comes after US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement, seen as "supporting a bridge to Ukraine's eventual membership in the NATO alliance" last week.
