NATO countries agree to 5 per cent defence spending target
The 32 member states of NATO have unanimously agreed to increase their defence spending to five per cent of GDP over the next ten years. This is stated in the final joint declaration of the NATO summit in The Hague, which was published on Wednesday.
"Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations," the declaration read. This increase is necessary in the face of "profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long- term threat posed by Russia".
The investments will enable the alliance to take a '"quantum leap" in terms of collective defence, said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at a press conference. US President Donald Trump called the summit "a big success".
Core tasks
The summit's final declaration includes the expected breakdown between 3.5 per cent of core defence spending and 1.5 per cent of defence-related investments. Members will submit annual plans showing a "a credible, incremental path to reach this goal". In 2029, these plans will be evaluated "in light of the strategic environment and updated Capability Targets"
Members also reaffirmed their commitment to the alliance and to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty
According to the declaration, the investments must ensure that NATO countries have the armed forces, capabilities, supplies, infrastructure, readiness and resilience necessary for the "core tasks" of the alliance. These tasks include deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security.
The heads of state and government also reaffirmed their commitment to the alliance and to collective defence as set out in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which establishes that "an attack on one is an attack on all".
Unanimous decision
Prior to the summit, some countries, including Belgium and Spain, had expressed their opposition to the new target. Ultimately, however, all NATO members confirmed the declaration setting out the target.
“As Europeans, we should realise that our long break from history is over and that we have to take our own responsibility for the security of our own continent in a very difficult time,” Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever said in The Hague on Wednesday.
It remains unclear how Belgium, which is struggling with a high budget deficit and national debt, plans to meet the new spending target. "We have already decided to go to 2 per cent, which is a huge leap. But there are no plans to do more before 2029," said De Wever.
Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General, and Donald Trump, US President, at the NATO summit in The Hague on 25 June 2025 © PHOTO AVALON
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