Mark Rutte, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), left, and U.S. President Donald Trump, during the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
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NATO allies on Thursday agreed to more than double their defense spending target from 2% of gross domestic product to 5% by 2035, in the most decisive move from the alliance in over a decade.
In a joint declaration, the alliance said it was “united in the face of profound security threats and challenges,” in particular the long- term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security and the “persistent threat” of terrorism.
“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.,” it continued.
The historic move comes against a backdrop of tensions in the Middle East and ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia.
Allies have been pushed to this point after years of pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, across both of his terms in office.
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