NATO Countries Agree on New Defense Spending Target Ahead of Summit
In the run-up to the NATO summit in The Hague, the 32 member states have reached a new agreement on defense spending, with a majority of nations converging on a target of five percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) for defense purposes. The accord, announced on Tuesday and Wednesday, sets aside 3.5 percent of GDP for pure defense and 1.5 percent for “defence-relevant infrastructure.”
Spain, initially resistant to the proposal, eventually gave in, with an exemption for the country. The agreement was reached after intense negotiations over the weekend, following a Friday stalemate among NATO ambassadors. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explained that his country would not need to meet the five percent target, having previously described the goal as “unreasonable” and “counterproductive” a stance that sparked irritation among other NATO partners.
The new spending target aligns with the demands of former US President Donald Trump, who had been a vocal advocate for increased defense spending among NATO allies. While the majority of NATO countries, including Germany, have agreed to the proposal, some nations have only reluctantly accepted the target, with concerns that the United States may reduce its support for the alliance if its partners are seen as not investing enough in their own defense.