NATO allies have agreed to raise their collective defence spending target to 5% of GDP by 2035, more than doubling the existing benchmark of 2%. The announcement came during a high-stakes summit in The Hague, Netherlands, attended by global leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump.
The two-day meeting was held against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
In a joint declaration, NATO reaffirmed its “ironclad commitment to collective defence” under Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
“We remain united and steadfast in our resolve to protect our one billion citizens, defend the Alliance, and safeguard our freedom and democracy,” the declaration read.
Under the new agreement, member states must submit annual, credible, and incremental plans demonstrating progress toward the 5% target. Of the total spending: at least 3.5% of GDP must go toward core defence and the remaining 1.5% for security infrastructure, civil preparedness, and innovation to boost resilience and industrial capabilities.
“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,” NATO stated.
While most members expressed strong support, Spain raised concerns over the significant financial increase. It’s also worth noting that some nations have yet to meet the original 2% goal set in 2014.
Newly appointed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the agreement as a “quantum leap” in defence readiness, saying it will increase security and create jobs across the alliance.
“Allies recognize the severity of today’s threats and understand the need to step up to stay safe,” Rutte said.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday called on all NATO members to fully commit to the alliance’s new target, stressing that every country must do its fair share to ensure there would be no sense of “free-riding”.
