NATO head: Defense chiefs broadly support proposed boost in defense spending
The head of NATO says defense chiefs of the alliance's member countries have broadly supported his proposal of increasing their defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday after the alliance's defense ministerial meeting.
Rutte calls for NATO members to boost their defense expenditures to 5 percent of GDP by 2032. The target consists of 3.5 percent on core defense spending and 1.5 percent on defense- and security-related investment, including infrastructure and resilience.
The proposal echoes US President Donald Trump's demand that NATO members raise their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
Rutte said "allies understand" the need to expand their defense outlays. He cited what he called "the Russian threats" and "the Chinese buildup."
Rutte is aiming to reach a final agreement on his proposal at NATO's summit in the Netherlands later this month. Alliance members are expected to hold final negotiations on when they should achieve the 5-percent target, among other issues.
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