NATO commits to 5% defense spending amid pressure from Trump

NATO Agrees to 5% Defense Spending Target Under Trump Pressure, Reaffirms Unity

The Hague – NATO member states have committed to a sharp increase in defense spending, agreeing to allocate up to 5% of their gross domestic product by 2025. The decision follows months of firm pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and comes amid rising geopolitical tensions.

In a joint statement issued from The Hague, NATO leaders reaffirmed their “ironclad” commitment to collective defense. While the declaration cited enduring threats from Russia and terrorism, it stopped short of directly addressing Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine a shift from last year’s more explicit language.

“No one should doubt our capacity or determination should our security be challenged,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said. “This is a stronger, fairer, and more lethal alliance that our leaders have begun to build.”

President Trump, who had earlier cast doubt on NATO’s Article Five pledge by referencing “various definitions,” later clarified his stance.

“I stand with Article Five,” Trump said after the summit. “That’s why I’m here.”

The revised defense framework will see each member allocate at least 3.5% of GDP to core defense activities by 2035. An additional 1.5% will be directed toward broader investments related to security infrastructure.

Some member states voiced resistance to the steep hike. Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo called the target “misguided,” stating the country was already working to meet a 2.1% goal. During the summit’s group photo, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stood apart from other leaders. Still, he signed the statement, calling it “realistic and compatible” with Spain’s capabilities.

Belgium and Slovakia also raised concerns. Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever said the target would be difficult but achievable, while Slovakia’s President Peter Pellegrini indicated his government would not oppose the agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron took aim at U.S. trade policies during the summit, warning against economic tension among allies.

“We can’t say we need to spend more on defense while waging a trade war against each other,” Macron said.

The summit opened Tuesday night with a royal dinner hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. Wednesday’s main session was brief, lasting under three hours. Despite its condensed schedule, the summit is already being described as one of the most consequential in recent NATO history.

The final communiqué confirmed continued support for Ukraine, stating that direct military and industrial contributions to Kyiv would count toward each member’s spending benchmarks.

President Trump, whose last NATO appearance was in 2019, showed limited focus on Ukraine during his remarks. Instead, he pivoted to the Middle East conflict.

“Zelensky’s got a little difficulty, nice guy,” Trump told reporters. “I’ve spoken to Putin a lot… he volunteered help on Iran. I said do me a favor, help us on Russia, not Iran.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the outcome of the talks.

“We live in a very volatile world,” Starmer said. “NATO is as important today as it has ever been. We’re stronger and more united than before.”

NATO’s new defense spending agreement marks a turning point for the alliance as it seeks to fortify itself against growing security challenges while maintaining transatlantic unity.