NATO to Sign Off on Ambitious Defence Spending Hike Amid Renewed Focus on Alliance Unity

 Brussels, June 25 — NATO leaders are poised to approve a significant increase in defence spending during a specially convened summit designed to reaffirm transatlantic unity — and reassure U.S. President Donald Trump of the alliance’s renewed commitment to collective security.

At the heart of the summit’s agenda is a proposal to raise the alliance’s defence spending benchmark to 5% of GDP, a dramatic shift driven by U.S. pressure and growing concerns in Europe over Russian aggression following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The new target significantly exceeds the current 2% threshold, reflecting heightened geopolitical urgency.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged the economic strain such a commitment imposes, particularly on European countries and Canada, but emphasized that the stakes demand bold action.
“There is absolute conviction among my colleagues at the table that, given the threat from Russia and the broader international security landscape, there is no alternative,” Rutte told reporters ahead of the summit.

The proposed spending increase marks a clear response to long-standing U.S. criticism, particularly from President Trump, over what Washington has perceived as inadequate European contributions to the alliance. Trump’s vocal insistence on a more equitable burden-sharing framework has loomed over past summits, often overshadowing broader unity efforts.

This time, however, the U.S. President struck a notably more conciliatory tone, playing down recent doubts about his stance on NATO’s mutual defence clause — Article 5 — which stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

“We’re with them all the way,” Trump told journalists, offering a reassurance that many European leaders were seeking amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

Nonetheless, concerns lingered following Trump’s comments the day before, when he appeared to question the scope of NATO’s collective defence obligations. Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Brussels, Trump remarked that there are “numerous definitions” of Article 5 — a statement that sparked debate over potential divergences in interpretation.

Despite such concerns, the summit’s focus on strengthening defence postures has united members around a shared imperative: adapting NATO’s strategic and fiscal framework to a more volatile world order. With Russia continuing to pose a sustained challenge to European security and global stability, the alliance appears determined to match rhetoric with tangible commitment.

The decision to escalate defence spending will likely face domestic scrutiny across NATO capitals, but leaders gathered in Brussels seemed aligned on the broader message: deterrence and preparedness remain central pillars of the transatlantic alliance — now more than ever.