NATO leaders pledge major defense spending increase

Shafaq News – The Hague

NATO member states agreed on Wednesday to raise their defense spending to 5% of national GDP by 2035, responding to sustained pressure from US President Donald Trump and marking the alliance’s most significant funding commitment in decades.

The decision, made during a summit in The Hague, includes a core commitment of at least 3.5% for direct defence expenditures, with up to an additional 1.5% allocated to broader investments related to security infrastructure.

In a joint statement, leaders said they remained united in the face of "profound security threats," citing Russia as a long-term danger to Euro-Atlantic stability and reaffirming their “ironclad” commitment to NATO’s collective defence clause, Article Five. However, unlike past communiqués, there was no direct mention of Russian aggression in Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance is becoming “stronger, fairer and more lethal,” emphasizing unity and deterrence in the face of growing geopolitical challenges. “No one should doubt our capacity or determination should our security be challenged,” he added.

President Trump, attending his first NATO summit since 2019, described the outcome as a “big success” and said the new funding framework would ensure greater equality among member states.

Not all members embraced the 5% target equally. Spain had voiced objections before the summit, with Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo calling the figure "misguided," but Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ultimately signed the agreement, stating it was compatible with Spain’s existing commitments. Belgium and Slovakia also raised concerns, though both signaled they would work toward the revised target.

As of last year, 22 of NATO’s 32 members met or exceeded the previously agreed 2% GDP target, but the new benchmark will significantly raise expectations across the alliance.