NATO should adopt a digital .2 percent policy, whereby member states commit to spend .2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on cybersecurity and digital defense modernization, evoking the existing two percent guideline utilized by the Alliance for traditional defense expenditures. While some NATO members are awash in cybersecurity capabilities, others are not, preventing the Alliance as a whole from most effectively addressing adversaries increasingly focused on digital and information-centered threats. Cyber defense, collective response, adequate protection of current and future weapon systems, digital integration, leveling up Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (JISR)—the debates about burden sharing are missing critical dimensions of digital transformation. NATO is grappling with how to navigate and operate in cyberspace and must follow strategy with resources.

Key Takeaways:

1:18 Simon shares the elevator pitch of what they were recommending the Alliance to do in their paper on adapting a .2% commitment on digital defense 

2:09 Simon talks about the three distinct categories in digital spending that they suggested to NATO 

3:36 Simon explains why he thinks that now is the right time for NATO to consider the .2% commitment on digital defense and why it didn’t in the past 

5:17 Safa talks about if the allies will agree to the financial metrics that they want to add of the .2% while the 2% already gives some allies a headache when they hear it

6:07 Safa also explains about the .2% and what it is for when the allies contribute it to the Alliance 

6:51 Safa talks about how NATO will convince other governments to commit the .2%, since it does not have control over the government spending

7:25 Safa also explains why their recommendation didn’t happen even after the NotPetya but they are recommending it now 

8:17 Safa talks about what would happen if NATO took ownership to this recommendation and made every member to commit their .2%

9:30 Simon talks about how NATO would make this binding if at all it agreed with this recommendation  

10:27 Simon talks about how they would measure it since there are some countries that are behind than others 

13:16 Safa talks about if the .2% of the digital defense should go into the 2% of the defense as other countries are suggesting 

14:21 Safa talks about how NATO could take a more proactive role in terms of providing guidance and structure to member states in terms of how they spend their money

15:59 Safa talks about if nations are loose in spending on the defense as the US and if the US is the one telling the other nations to also spend and not the Alliance

17:47 Simon also shares other reasons as to why they think member states should invest in the digital defense 

18:51 Simon talks about why he thinks it is right adding the financial aspect to the digital defense 

21:07 Safa talks about what is unique with what they stated in their paper from the pledges that NATO already has over digital defense 

22:05 Safa talks about if they would consider putting that under the review process to see how they're coming along on improving their capabilities

24:55 Simon also talks about how their recommendation would be achieved with the distrust challenge already among the NATO members and how that would increase trust between members

25:58 Safa talks about where they saw lack of trust playing out that made them write this paper 

27:43 Simon and Safa talk about timeline where allies would be at the same level to invest in digital defense and to have a much more solid defense inside the cyber world 

30:09 Simon talks about the if the new administration and the improved conversation about two percent will provide an opening for a conversation about .2%

31:17 Safa talks about how they came up with the number