Reports: NATO agrees to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP

NATO countries have agreed to increase their annual defense and security spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) – the value of a country’s goods and services – by 2035. The decision was made on June 22 ahead of the upcoming Alliance summit, despite objections from Spain, Reuters and DPA report.

Sources say that all 32 NATO member states have already agreed to the commitment. 

However, the decision will become official only on June 25, after it is formally approved by the leaders of member countries — including U.S. President Donald Trump — at the summit in The Hague.

“NATO officials argue big defence spending increases are needed to counter a growing threat from Russia and to allow Europe to take on more responsibility for its own security as the United States shifts its military focus to China,” Reuters reports.

Earlier, Spain publicly opposed NATO’s plan to increase defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP and related defense expenditures to 1.5 percent of economic output. How Spain was persuaded to drop its opposition has not been disclosed.

“The consensus within NATO to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP can be seen as a victory for Trump, who had been demanding for months that allies commit to this target,” writes European Pravda.

The NATO summit will take place on June 24–25 in the Netherlands, where representatives from about 40 countries will assemble. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is still unsure whether he will attend the summit.