NATO defense ministers concluded tense talks in Brussels with a tentative agreement to increase military spending to 5% of GDP, but stark disagreements over timelines and budget allocations exposed fractures within the alliance. Secretary General Mark Rutte announced a compromise proposal: 3.5% for core defense and 1.5% for security infrastructure by 2032, calling it a "balanced path forward."
Mounting U.S. Pressure
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized urgency, stating NATO must prioritize "combat-ready capabilities over conferences." The U.S. has threatened to scale back European security commitments unless allies accelerate spending, with 23 of 32 members projected to meet the existing 2% target this year.
Divisions on Timeline, Spending Categories
Baltic nations pushed for faster action, with Estonia pledging to hit 5% by 2025, while Germany and Spain warned of "extremely difficult" economic trade-offs. Lithuania demanded a 2030 deadline, contrasting sharply with Italy and the UK’s 2035 roadmap for 3.5% core spending.
Germany pledged 60,000 new troops to bolster NATO forces but faces recruitment challenges. Meanwhile, the Netherlands estimates needing up to €19 billion annually to meet targets—a strain echoing Belgium’s concerns over welfare cuts.
As the alliance prepares for its June summit in The Hague, the debate underscores broader tensions between immediate security needs and long-term fiscal sustainability in an era of global uncertainty.
