THE HAGUE: NATO leaders have agreed to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP by 2035, a move that comes after sustained pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking at a summit in The Hague, Trump celebrated the agreement as a significant achievement for both Europe and the broader Western world.
In a joint declaration, NATO members highlighted their unity in facing “serious” security threats, particularly citing the long-term risk posed by Russia and terrorism.
They also reaffirmed their strong commitment to collective defence, pledging that an attack on one member would be met with a unified response from the entire alliance.
Unlike previous statements, this year’s declaration did not explicitly condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Still, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed the alliance’s readiness to respond to any security threat.
“No one should question our strength or resolve,” he said. “We’re building a stronger, fairer, and more capable NATO.”
Although Trump had previously raised doubts about the alliance’s security guarantees by referencing varying interpretations of Article 5—the clause that ensures collective defence—he confirmed his support after the summit, saying: “I stand with it. That’s why I’m here.”
The summit, described as historic by several attendees, also included plans to continue aiding Ukraine while pursuing long-term peace efforts.
The new defence pledge outlines that at least 3.5% of national GDPs will go toward core military spending, with an additional 1.5% allocated to broader security-related infrastructure and investments.
This was Trump’s first NATO summit since 2019, and he labeled the outcome a “big success.” Earlier, he had described the spending increase as a major victory, predicting that financial contributions across the alliance would soon be balanced. “We will be equalised shortly, and that’s the way it has to be,” he said.
However, not all member states were fully on board. Spain expressed strong reservations about the 5% goal. Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo argued that Madrid was already making a “huge effort” to reach its 2.1% target and criticized the focus on percentage figures.
During the summit’s traditional group photo, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was notably seen standing apart from the main group.
(Inputs from BBC)
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