Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said NATO must convert recent defense spending pledges into real military capabilities and essential equipment [1].

The call for tangible assets comes as the alliance prepares for a summit in Ankara. Rinkevics said there is a critical gap between financial commitments and the actual availability of hardware needed to secure European borders.

During an interview with DW News, Rinkevics addressed the pressure on member states to increase their budgets. He said that some NATO countries have made commitments to spend five percent of GDP on defense [1]. However, he said that the focus must shift from these figures to the acquisition of equipment.

"We must turn the new funding pledges into real capabilities and get hold of the defence equipment we need," Rinkevics said [1].

The president also addressed the shifting role of the United States in European security. He said that the U.S. plans to withdraw some forces from the region, which adds a layer of difficulty to the current security landscape.

"The US plans to withdraw some forces from Europe and the demand that European allies do more for their own defence is a complex issue," Rinkevics said [1].

He said that bridging the gap between funding and readiness will not happen overnight. The process of procuring advanced weaponry, and integrating new systems across different national militaries, requires significant coordination and time.

"It will take time, but NATO has to focus on actual capabilities, not just numbers," Rinkevics said [1].

“"We must turn the new funding pledges into real capabilities and get hold of the defence equipment we need."”

This shift in rhetoric from Latvian leadership signals a growing anxiety among Baltic states regarding the 'paper' strength of NATO. While GDP spending targets are used as political benchmarks for commitment, they do not automatically translate into readiness. With the U.S. reducing its footprint in Europe, the burden shifts to European allies to not only fund their militaries but to successfully navigate the industrial hurdles of procuring and deploying hardware quickly enough to maintain a credible deterrent.