Trump's Historical NATO Summit: NATO Sets Ambitious Spending Increase
Increase in Alliance's Goal: NATO Adopts 5% Defense Spending Aim
Social Media Sharing: Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link The Hague hosts a groundbreaking NATO summit as member states agree to an unprecedented defense spending boost, setting a target of 5% of their GDP by 2035 — a level not seen since the Cold War.
The NATO summit in The Hague took a historic turn with a commitment from member states to ramp up their defense spending. In response to geopolitical tensions, such as Russia's aggressive behavior toward Ukraine, and under the pressure from US President Donald Trump, the allies have pledged to invest in defense and security at a level not seen since the Cold War. Previously, the target was a more modest 2% of their GDP. This significant shift may help stave off fears of a drift away from the alliance following Trump's victory.
In exchange for the 5% commitment, NATO's allies now expect Trump to make clear that the US will uphold its stance under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which requires all member countries to come to the aid of an ally under attack. The summit declaration emphasizes unity, stating: "We, the heads of state and government of the North Atlantic Alliance, have gathered in The Hague to reaffirm our commitment to NATO, the strongest alliance in history, and to the transatlantic bond." We remain united and dedicated to safeguarding the one billion citizens within our alliance's region.
Trump Proclaims "Remarkable" Breakthrough
Trump, who has frequently expressed uncertainty over the US's commitment to the core agreement of the NATO treaty, described the new defense spending target as "remarkable."
The agreement stipulates that each member state should expend at least 3.5% of its GDP to address "core defense requirements" and achieve NATO capability objectives. Additional investments in counterterrorism and military-usable infrastructure, such as upgraded transportation systems, tank-resistant bridges, and expanded ports, may also be considered part of the commitment.
Merz: Not Spending Simply for Trump
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz characterized the summit as "historic" and stressed that Germany is not increasing its defense spending to please Trump, but due to the current security situation. "Russia is not only threatening Ukraine but also the entire peace and political order of our continent," he explained.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte admitted that the increase in the alliance's spending target would not have been feasible without Trump's pressure. Rutte acknowledged that Trump had achieved something that no American president has managed in decades — and consequently earned praise from the secretary-general.
It has gone uncommented that Trump managed to secure the new target by employing the threat of potential withdrawal from NATO if the alliance partners did not comply. Secretary-General Rutte, like all other allies, understands that the alliance's deterrence largely depends on the US's military prowess, and a US withdrawal would signal the end of the alliance.
Selenskyj in a Supporting Role
The limits of the alliance's solidarity regarding the Ukraine conflict were plainly evident. While nearly all NATO members within Europe stand firmly behind Ukraine and wish to intensify the pressure on Russia, Trump seems unwilling to take a clear stance. Influenced by the belief that sanctions may have detrimental effects on the U.S. economy, Trump prefers a more conciliatory approach.
The Future of NATO: Mixed Prospects
Despite the absence of a separate working session on the Russian attack on Ukraine during the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj did get a chance to play a supporting role. The summit declaration merely reaffirmed NATO's ongoing individual commitments to support Ukraine, implying that Ukraine's security contributes to the alliance's security.
Selenskyj may find a small victory in the fact that investments made toward Ukraine's military support are now considered part of the member states' defense spending obligations. Previously, there had been concerns that such support might change as a result of Trump's policies.
Last year, NATO pledged €40 billion in aid for Ukraine and agreed to support it in its "irreversible path" toward NATO membership. This crucial formulation, which is particularly important for Ukraine, has now been removed from the NATO declaration.
Concerns that summit participants, such as Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez or Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, might still derail the summit were unfounded. Both leaders agreed to the final declaration, despite their reservations about the new defense spending target.
Long-term Planning: 2022 Turkey Summit and 2027 Albania Summit
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte worked diligently to prevent major issues with Trump during the summit. In a personal message to Trump, he emphasized that "we have succeeded in getting everyone to sign up to the 5% pledge." While it was not advisable to publicly speculate about a possible failure, long-term planning for future summit meetings is already underway. After the final declaration, the next summit is set for Turkey in 2022 and Albania in 2027.
- NATO
- Donald Trump
- Friedrich Merz
- Mark Rutte
- Two-percent target of NATO
- Attack on Ukraine
- Volodymyr Selenskyj
- The Hague
Additional Insights:
- The new defense spending target includes two components: pure defense spending should rise to 3.5% of GDP, up from the current goal of at least 2%, and an additional 1.5% will be allocated to infrastructure and security measures such as upgrading transportation systems, tackling cyber threats, and preparing societies for potential conflicts.
- The decision to increase defense spending was prompted by geopolitical pressures, most notably Russia's aggression toward Ukraine.
- Although Trump's influence during the current summit is not explicitly mentioned, his previous efforts to increase spending within NATO have had a lasting impact, as reflected in the recent commitment to further increase spending.
During this significant NATO summit at The Hague, the allies' defense spending commitments were adjusted, with a pledge to reach 5% of their GDP, a level not seen since the Cold War. This development comes in response to geopolitical tensions, such as Russia's behavior towards Ukraine, and the pressure from US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted that Germany's increased defense spending is not a concession to Trump, but rather a response to the current security situation, with Russia posing a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the entire peace and political order of the continent.
