NATO edges towards Trump's spending demands, Germany lags

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addresses a news conference on the alliance's annual report at NATO's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium March 14, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - More European allies in NATO increased defence spending in 2018, with sharp rises in the Baltics, Poland and the Netherlands, but only six governments met a target sought by the United States - while Germany lagged and Canadian outlays fell.

European allies have tried to deflect threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who last year demanded countries double NATO's defence spending goal of two percent of economic output. They say security is not just about spending targets.