LONDON — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted the pursuit of gender equality in the military as an alternative way of fulfilling NATO defense spending obligations.

“We’re engaged in substantive ways but also ways that reflect our leadership,” Trudeau said Tuesday at the NATO Engages town hall that prefaced the meeting of ally chiefs. “Three of our top NATO leaders that are Canadians are actually women, incredibly qualified women, both in Rome, in the maritime fleet, and leading in Iraq. This is — these are the kinds of things that Canada does by stepping up.”