NATO Demands 5% GDP Defense Spending for All \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ NATO secretary‑general insisted no member can opt out of pledged defense spending increase. A 5% GDP target—3.5% on core defense and 1.5% on resilience—is expected to be approved at the summit. Allies will review progress in 2029, while Spain seeks exception and Trump questions U.S. application.
Quick Looks
- No Exceptions: “NATO has no opt‑out, and NATO does no side deals,” Secretary‑General Mark Rutte affirmed.
- 5% Goal: Summit to endorse a two‑part spending increase: 3.5% core and 1.5% resilience/GDP.
- Spain Exemption: Madrid secured deal to exclude it from full 5% target, citing economic constraints.
- U.S. Dispute: President Trump says the U.S. should not have to meet the 5% benchmark.
- Spending Breakdown: Core defense includes military budgets; resilience covers infrastructure and cyber readiness.
- Spain’s Position: With military spending at just 1.28% of GDP, Spain will raise to 2.1%.
- Broader Challenges: Other under‑spenders like Belgium, Canada, France, and Italy will face major budget hikes.
- Timeline Established: All nations to report regularly; a formal progress review is set for early 2029.
- Capability Debate: Spanish FM emphasized measuring success by defense capabilities, not raw spending.
Deep Look
At an upcoming summit in the Netherlands, NATO is poised to endorse a bold new defense-spending strategy, mandating that all member nations aim to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product to collective security. The alliance’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, made it clear in The Hague on Monday: “NATO has no opt‑out, and NATO does no side deals. It is critical that each ally carries their fair share of the burden.” This directive closes the door on attempts by countries to dodge the financial responsibility.
The proposed 5% commitment consists of two components: 3.5% for core defense, which includes military forces, equipment, and readiness; and 1.5% for resilience, a broader category covering infrastructure upgrades (roads, bridges, airfields), cybersecurity, hybrid-threat defenses, and civilian preparedness.
Currently, 22 of NATO’s 32 members meet the baseline 2% defense spending requirement established in 2014 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The proposed increase—particularly the jump to 3.5% core spending—represents a substantial uplift and could place significant strain on national budgets.
Spain, which currently spends only 1.28% of its GDP on defense (the alliance’s lowest), has secured a carve-out from the 5% mandate. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the summit’s final communiqué will not require Spain to meet the full target. Instead, Spain commits to raising defense spending to 2.1% of GDP—still far from the goal but marked as acceptable within the alliance. This exception opens questions about other nations like Belgium, Canada, France, and Italy, all of which also face challenges hitting 3.5%.
President Trump weighed in before the summit, insisting that the 5% target should apply only to U.S. allies—not the U.S. itself. He has also called out Spain and Canada for underfunding NATO capabilities. Meanwhile, Spain’s political landscape complicates its position: Sánchez heads a fragile government dependent on smaller party partners and battling internal corruption scandals, increasing the pressure on any plan to substantially boost defense spending.
Another contentious area is the balance between spending volume and defense effectiveness. Spanish Foreign Minister José Albares noted the focus should be on achieving required capabilities, not merely meeting spending quotas. He stressed that Spain could meet NATO-defined defense goals with just 2.1% of GDP.
Given that many nations struggle to meet the 2% threshold, NATO is setting firm deadlines. The U.S. has pushed for a commitment window shorter than a decade. A review of member progress is planned for early 2029, aligning with U.S. election timing. The final deadline is tentatively set for 2035, allowing a phased ramp-up. Rutte emphasized that all nations will be required to regularly report their spending and that the alliance “is absolutely convinced Spain will have to spend 3.5%.”
This defense pledge reflects growing NATO unity amid rising concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as mounting cyber and hybrid threats across Europe. It also underscores how NATO seeks to rebalance financial responsibility after years of reliance on U.S. military strength. The approach combines economic targets with capability benchmarks and time-bound accountability—a test as much of political will as of military readiness.
As leaders convene in the Netherlands, the summit will measure not just collective threats but also enduring questions about national priorities, shared risks, and the price of security in an era of uncertainty.
NATO Demands NATO Demands
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