TALLINN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and visiting Chairman of the NATO Military Committee (CMC) Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone on Friday discussed preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara and the security situation in Europe.
According to a press release from the Estonian government, Michal said Estonia has set a target to raise its defense spending to 5.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year. He also called on other allies to turn the commitments made at The Hague Summit "into reality" at the next summit in Ankara.
In June last year, NATO leaders concluded a two-day summit in The Hague with what was described as the shortest joint declaration in the alliance's history, committing to raising annual defense expenditure to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.
The two sides also underscored their close cooperation and reaffirmed consistent and effective support for Ukraine.
According to a separate NATO press release, Dragone engaged with senior political and military leaders, visited the Amari Airbase, and delivered a lecture at the Baltic Defence College during his visit from Wednesday to Friday.
The NATO Military Committee, the alliance's senior military authority and the oldest permanent body after the North Atlantic Council, serves as the primary source of military advice to the North Atlantic Council and the Nuclear Planning Group. It gives direction to NATO's two Strategic Commanders, namely the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. ■