On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told U.S. President Donald Trump, ‘Your leadership made this possible.’
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—On the final day of the NATO summit, members on Wednesday endorsed a defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP by 2035.
All NATO members will be expected to spend 3.5 percent of their GDP on core defense, such as troops, weapons, and equipment.
They will also be expected to earmark a further 1.5 percent of GDP for defense and security-related infrastructure, such as adapting roads, bridges, and ports for use by the military, cyber-proofing assets, and protecting energy pipelines and undersea cables.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the new target will “fuel a quantum leap in our collective defense.”
“They agreed to boost our defense industries, which will not only increase our security, but will also create jobs. And we have reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine. All of this is crucial,” Rutte said.
“It means that no matter the challenges we face better from Russia or terrorism, cyber attacks, sabotage or strategic competition, this alliance is and will remain ready, willing and able, to defend every inch of allied territory and ensure that our 1 billion people can continue to live in freedom and security.”
The agreement on the 5 percent spending target marks the end of a five-month campaign by U.S. President Donald Trump to make European members and Canada shoulder more of the responsibility in defending Europe.
During a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Wednesday, Rutte told Trump, who sat next to him, “Your leadership made this possible.”
Earlier, Rutte said, “For too long, one ally, the United States, carried too much of the burden of that commitment, and that changes today.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the “decisions we make are not to do anyone a favor” but because allies agree that “the threat situation has changed, and the threat is Russia in particular.”
The communiqué agreed by the 32 NATO members on Wednesday reads, “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 percent of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035.”
Rutte and several other world leaders described the agreement as historic.
The communiqué specified that all NATO members would earmark, “1.5 percent of GDP annually to … protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation, and strengthen our defence industrial base.”
Spain previously claimed to have been granted an exemption, but Rutte said on Monday there were no opt-outs.
