NATO countries agreed on a plan to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP ahead of the Hague summit
The countries of the North Atlantic Alliance agreed on a draft statement before the summit, which states that by 2035 they will spend up to 5% of the gross domestic product on the defense sector. The corresponding project statement has already been supported by all 32 NATO member states, but the final approval should take place at the summit in The Hague with the participation of the leaders of the countries, in particular the US President Donald Trump. About this informsReuters agency.
The first obstacle to consensus was the position of Spain, which considered the proposed level of spending excessive. In 2024, the country’s defense budget was only 1.24% of GDP. To circumvent Madrid’s blockade, the wording of the document was changed: instead of “we commit,” “the allies commit” was used. Thus, Spain reserved the right not to join the obligation. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has openly stated that his government has no plans to increase defense spending.
The draft statement is related to increasing threats from Russia and the desire to strengthen the defense capabilities of Europe in view of the United States’ focus on confronting China in Asia. Currently, the formal threshold for NATO members is 2 percent of GDP on defense, but Trump is pushing for an increase to 5 percent, while hinting that the U.S. rule may not apply.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte proposed the structure of future spending: 3.5% of GDP directly for military needs, and another 1.5% for related areas, including infrastructure modernization and defense in cyberspace. Initially, it was planned to achieve this goal by 2032, but due to internal debates, the deadline was extended to 2035. Monitoring of the implementation of the plan is planned for 2029.
