NATO countries approve Hague summit statement with 5% defence spending goal, diplomats say
- NATO leaders agreed at the June 22-23, 2025 summit in The Hague to a new 5% GDP defense spending target for member countries.
- This agreement follows sustained U.S. pressure, especially by President Trump, who insisted allies must increase spending and meet the 5% goal promptly.
- The plan divides spending into 3.5% for traditional military capabilities and 1.5% for defense-related infrastructure, but lacks clear standards defining eligible infrastructure costs.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected the 5% target, stating Spain will maintain a 2.1% GDP defense commitment focusing on capabilities rather than raw percentages.
- This division suggests that while all 32 NATO members approved the pledge, some, like Spain, will negotiate deviations, implying challenges in uniformly meeting the ambitious spending goals.
169 Articles
169 Articles
NATO leaders are set to agree on a historic defense spending pledge, but the hike won't apply to all
NATO leaders are expected to agree by Wednesday that member countries should spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense. Only the new investment pledge will not apply to all of them. Spain says it has reached a deal…
NATO’s new 5% defence spending target and what it means
NATO leaders are set to approve a major defence spending hike, committing members to spend 5% of GDP on military and security investments by 2035—up from the current 2%. The move is driven by Russia’s aggression and US pressure.
NATO to take ’quantum leap’ with 5% summit pledge: Rutte
NATO allies are poised to take a "quantum leap" by hiking defence spending to counter the threat of Russia, Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday, on the eve of a two-day summit. The 32 members of the alliance will pledge to boost defence expenditure to five percent of gross domestic product, a key demand of President Donald Trump, who has long grumbled that the US pays too much for NATO. NATO's members have thrashed out a compromise deal …


EXPLAINER-What is NATO's new 5% defence spending target?
By Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray
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