NATO agrees to increase defense spending, collective security must be maintained
Photo source,Reuters
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- Author,Paul Kirby
- Position, responsibilities,European Digital Editor
NATO allies have pledged to spend five percent of their gross domestic product on defense and security investments over the next decade.
President Trump’s main request was discussed and approved at the NATO summit held in the Netherlands.
The NATO statement said Russia is a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and that it will stand united in defending against the dangers of terrorism.
However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not mentioned.
Photo source,Reuters
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said earlier that it would be a transformative step that would make the alliance stronger, more balanced, and more powerful.
He also said that the United States has had to bear the burden of collective defense for too long.
NATO leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to strong collective defense, which would guarantee security if a NATO country were attacked.
Markit said the historic The Hague summit on Wednesday included decisions to continue providing assistance while pushing for peace in Ukraine.
Among the decisions to increase defense spending over a decade is a commitment to spend 3.5 percent of each NATO member’s gross domestic product on defense by 2035, and to invest 1.5 percent in security infrastructure.
Photo source,Getty Images
US President Trump also hailed the meeting as a great victory. He said that the increase in military spending would make everyone more equal.
Spain has been resisting the five percent increase since before the meeting began. The Spanish economy minister said they were doing their best to reach 2.1 percent.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also appeared to be standing alone at the sidelines as NATO leaders posed for a group photo.
But Sanchez signed the NATO agreement.
The Belgian government also wavered on the idea of adding more money, while Slovakia also raised questions. In the end, they agreed.
French President Macron has questioned the US president’s trade tariffs on the EU and called for a deal.
Photo source,Reuters
The Hague meeting was President Trump’s first NATO summit since 2019, and he also met separately with Ukrainian President Zelensky after the event.
But when the US president meets with reporters, he wants to talk more about the Middle East than the war in Ukraine.
In the final statement, NATO members stressed their support for Ukraine. They said that Ukraine’s security is important to all, and that Ukraine will be included in the NATO military spending review.
