NATO leaders agree to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP
Hague – Saba:
NATO leaders agreed on Wednesday to raise their defense spending from 2% to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.
The final statement from the alliance leaders' summit in The Hague, Netherlands, reaffirmed their commitment to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which enshrines the principle of collective defense.
The statement noted that in response to security threats and challenges—particularly Russia's long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and the persistent threat of terrorism—allies are committed to spending 5% of their annual GDP on core defense needs, with this target to be achieved gradually by 2035.
The statement emphasized NATO's continued support for Ukraine, clarifying that allies' contributions to Ukraine's defense will be factored into their defense spending calculations.
The final communiqué also announced that the next NATO summit in 2026 will be held in Türkiye.
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