NATO Pressed to Agree on Defense Spending Hike

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged NATO members to commit to a significant increase in defense spending, targeting 5% of GDP, ahead of a crucial summit later this month. This push follows President Donald Trump’s demand for allies to bolster their defense investments.

Hegseth emphasized the need for “combat-ready capabilities,” stating, “To be an alliance, you got to be more than flags. You got to be formations. You got to be more than conferences. You need to be, keep combat-ready capabilities.” He added that the commitment to 5% defense spending across the alliance “will happen” and “has to happen by the summit at The Hague later this month.”

Compromise Proposal

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has proposed a compromise, suggesting members boost defense spending to 3.5% of GDP and commit a further 1.5% to broader security-related spending. Rutte emphasized the need for increased investment, saying, “We have to go further and we have to go faster.” He added that a new defense investment plan will be central to the NATO summit in The Hague.

Challenges and Concerns

Some European countries, including Spain, Germany, and Belgium, may find meeting the 5% target “extremely difficult.” However, they have decided to further coordinate their military strategy, particularly in acquiring air defense systems and long-range missiles. European NATO members are concerned that Russia remains the “biggest threat to stability in the region.”

Timeline Negotiations

Diplomats are negotiating the timeline to achieve the 5% target, with Rutte proposing 2032. However, some countries, like Lithuania and Sweden, consider this too late and are pushing for a target of 2030. Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said the 2032 target is “definitely too late,” while Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson also wants to see the bloc reach the 5% target by 2030.