NATO allies braced for confrontation as Trump arrived at the gathering
The Lowdown on NATO's Defence Boost
The meeting of the minds at NATO's 2025 summit in The Hague kicked off with a grand dinner hosted by the Dutch king, welcoming leaders from the 31 member countries alongside President Trump.
The alliance aimed to keep Trump on board by meeting his request for a defense spending hike based on 5% of their GDP. But Trump remained tight-lipped about his commitment to the Article Five clause, potentially rattling European counterparts.
Compromising, NATO members agreed to dedicate 3.5% of their GDP to core military needs by 2035, with an additional 1.5% going towards broader security areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure. Russia's looming threat seemed to be the driving force for the increase, as it was alleged to be rebuilding its forces swiftly and could potentially attack the alliance within five years.
Yet, it was not just Russia pushing the issue. Shifts in strategic priorities from Washington towards China meant keeping Trump engaged was equally vital.
"They're going to be lifting it to five percent, that's good," Trump publically admitted. "It gives them much more power."
Despite the promise of more spending, disagreements lingered over the approach to Europe's key security concern: Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Trump confirmed plans to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky with Ukraine hoping to avoid a repeat of their Oval Office debacle.
In The Hague, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the spending pledge demonstrated the "awakening" of Europe's defense landscape. Leaders echoed her statement, stressing the need for bold, decisive moves in the face of rising uncertainties.
For instance, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK's commitment to the target while also announcing the purchase of a dozen F-35A fighters—an expansion of Britain's nuclear capabilities.
Germany also pledged to hit the 3.5-percent figure for core defense needs by 2029, six years ahead of the schedule. On the other hand, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez resisted meeting the five percent target, potentially risking Trump's disapproval.
The Kremlin fired back against NATO's new commitments, criticizing the alliance's "militarization."
Meanwhile, Trump's meeting with Zelensky loomed on the horizon, with Zelensky planning to discuss weapons purchases and new sanctions on Russia with the former president. At the summit, allies reiterated their "unwavering" support for Ukraine's defense efforts, though avoiding any explicit mention of Ukraine's bid for membership.
Fishing in the Right Pond
Increasing defense expenditures to a massive 5% of GDP by 2035 marked a watershed moment for NATO allies, with the United States playing a crucial role in pushing for the change. Former President Donald Trump had long advocated for increased defense funding and threatened to reconsider the U.S.'s mutual defense commitments if allies did not follow suit.
The new targets split the spending allocation into core defense requirements and broader sectors like cyber defense and infrastructure. This move was largely a response to ongoing security threats, particularly the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the perceived danger posed by Russia. NATO reaffirmed its stance on Ukraine, stating that contributions to Ukraine's defense and industrial capacity would be factored into the 5% spending target.
This time around, the NATO summit largely avoided direct condemnations of Russia while reiterating its support for Ukraine. The new focus seemed to be on strengthening NATO and increasing contributions from European allies, recognizing that the alliance needed to be both stronger and fairer.
- The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the perceived danger posed by Russia have served as primary catalysts for NATO allies to increase their defense expenditures.
- The new spending targets within NATO, aiming for a massive 5% of GDP by 2035, are partly designed to strengthen the alliance's defense against potential threats from Russia.
- As part of the new defense strategy, NATO has announced that contributions to Ukraine's defense and industrial capacity will be factored into the 5% spending target, indicating a shift in focus towards addressing strategic security concerns in the region.
