NATO Leaders Convene to Approve Unprecedented Defense Budget Boost

(MENAFN) NATO leaders convened Wednesday in The Hague for a landmark summit focused on fortifying the alliance amid escalating global threats. Secretary General Mark Rutte unveiled a bold proposal calling for all member nations to dedicate 5% of their GDP to defense budgets.

In his opening remarks, Rutte depicted the security landscape as “dangerous” for the alliance’s 1 billion citizens, pointing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ongoing Middle East conflicts, surging terrorism, and emerging technological risks.

NATO stands ready to make "decisions leading to an unprecedented increase in our collective defense spending and a new financial balance in our alliance," Rutte announced.

“In the face of this, we stand together, united in NATO, the most powerful defensive alliance in world history,” he emphasized.

“Our enduring commitment to Article Five, that an attack on one is an attack on all, sends a powerful message," he added.

The new 5% GDP defense spending target marks a dramatic escalation from the existing 2% guideline, aiming to enhance core military capabilities and invest in critical security infrastructure.

Rutte stressed that this adjustment is crucial for adequately funding NATO’s operational strategies and elevating overall readiness.

“This also makes NATO fairer,” he asserted.

“For too long, one ally, the United States, carried too much of the burden. That changes today," he declared.

He further commended US President Donald Trump for catalyzing the burden-sharing dialogue.

“President Trump, Dear Donald, you made this change possible,” Rutte said, highlighting that European allies have already raised defense spending by $1 trillion since 2016, with additional increases anticipated under the new framework.

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