Nato members have agreed to spend 5% of their GDP commits to 5% GDP spend increase and gives 'ironclad' commitment to mutual defence
NATO COUNTRIES HAVE agreed to increase their defence spending from 2% of GDP to 5% in the next decade, amid a renewed focus on the importance of military strength.
The move will see an increase of billions of euros to be spent on defence in the coming years.
At the Nato summit in The Hague, the 32 member countries strongly reinforced their commitment to defend each other in case of an attack.
In a joint statement, the countries said that there is an 'ironclad' commitment to mutual defence if any member country is attacked.
The 32 Nato members also declared Russia to be a 'long term threat' – but did not go as far as condemning the war in Ukraine.
There had been concerns that the US would not want to honour its commitments to defending other Nato allies; Donald Trump had given mixed messages en route to the summit.
As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump suggested that as president he would not necessarily abide by the alliance's mutual defence guarantees.
On his way to The Hague, aboard Air Force One, Trump said that his commitment to mutual defence 'depends on your definition'.
'There's numerous definitions of Article 5 [of the Nato Treaty which enshrines mutual defence]. You know that, right? But I'm committed to being their friends,' he said.
Advertisement
He signalled that he would give a more precise definition of what Article Five means to him once he was at the summit.
When Trump arrived he changed his tune and told reporters: 'We're with them all the way.'
The US president was referencing a growing debate across Nato on what Article Five means.
One definition has been that the US's nuclear weapons are a backstop for the entire organisation, acting as a guaranteed response to aggression.
Another interpretation of Article Five is that it merely binds members to providing support to a State, which could be anything from access to airspace to fighting in a war alongside them.
Mark Rutte, Nato's Secretary General, after a
flurry of unctuous messages
to Donald Trump, said that the US was 'totally committed' to the mutual defence clause.
'For me, there is absolute clarity that the United States has totally committed to Nato, totally committed to Article Five,' Rutte said.
The spending increase from 2% of GDP to 5% is something that the US – and Trump himself – has long fought for.
This will also cover investment in military industry and supercharge manufacturing.
But not everyone has agreed to it. Spain said it could not meet the 5% recommendation, but the Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said it would meet all its military capability commitments for Nato. Spain has said it will commit to 2.1% of GDP on the basis that its military commitments can be met at that level.
In his press conference after the summit, Trump said that he would put pressure on Spain in a trade deal to pay more.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
NATO summit commits to higher spending and mutual defence
NATO leaders have backed a big increase in defence spending and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit tailor-made for US President Donald Trump. In a short statement, the organisation endorsed a higher defence spending goal of 5% of GDP by 2035 - a response to a demand by Mr Trump and to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - that an attack on one is an attack on all," the statement said, after Mr Trump had sparked concern yesterday by saying there were "numerous definitions" of the clause. But just before the summit opened, he had said of fellow NATO members: "We're with them all the way." However, Mr Trump said that the US will make Spain pay twice as much for a trade deal after the country refused to meet the new NATO defense spending target. While NATO leaders backed a big increase in defense spending, Spain declared that it does not need to meet the goal and can meet its commitments by spending much less. Mr Trump called Spain's decision "very terrible" and vowed to force the country to make up the difference. "We're negotiating with Spain on a trade deal. We're going to make them pay twice as much," Mr Trump said. As a member of the European Union, Spain does not negotiate directly with the US on trade - the European Commission handles those talks for the entire 27-nation bloc. Mr Trump may have a hard time following through on his threat to punish Spain through a trade pact unless he gets language on the issue into a broader EU agreement. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain is always the solution and "never the problem", adding that it will defend its position with conviction. "We're talking about the fact that if we had accepted what was proposed, Spain would have had to allocate more than €300 billion between now and 2035. "Where do these resources come from? From more taxes on citizens? From cuts to the education system, healthcare, and pensions?" he said. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged that it was not easy for European countries and Canada to find the extra money, but said it was vital to do so. "There is absolute conviction with my colleagues at the table that, given this threat from the Russians, given the international security situation, there is no alternative," the former Dutch prime minister told reporters in his home city of The Hague. The new spending target - to be achieved over the next ten years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of 2% of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries would spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5% on broader defence-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles. All NATO members have backed a statement enshrining the target, although Spain declared it does not need to meet the goal and can meet its commitments by spending much less. Mr Rutte disputes that but accepted a diplomatic fudge with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as part of his efforts to give Mr Trump a diplomatic victory and make the summit go smoothly. Spain said that it did not expect its stance to have any repercussions. Mr Rutte has kept the summit and its final statement short and focused on the spending pledge to try to avert any friction with Mr Trump. Mr Rutte also likened Mr Trump to a "daddy" intervening in a schoolyard brawl after the US president used profanity when describing the war between Israel and Iran. In comments to the press during the summit, Mr Trump had compared fighting between Iran and Israel to children quarrelling. "They've had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard," Mr Rutte said, adding "let them fight for about two to three minutes, then it's easy to stop them". The NATO chief added: "And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get (them to) stop." Following the ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel, Mr Trump said the countries had been fighting "so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*** they're doing." Trump says US to hold talks with Iran after US 'victory' US President Donald Trump hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and said the US would likely seek a commitment from Tehran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks with Iranian officials next week. Mr Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "It was very severe. It was obliteration," he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran's path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months. He said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied decades of accusations by Western leaders that it is seeking nuclear arms. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Mr Trump said. Meanwhile, Mr Trump indicated that he will consider providing more of the Patriot missiles that Ukraine needs to defend against mounting Russian strikes, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin "really has to end that war". His remarks came after a 50-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague. Both leaders described it as a positive step in a conflict that Mr Trump described as "more difficult than other wars". During a press conference in which he celebrated his own diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Mr Trump said the Patriots were "very hard to get" but that "we are going to see if we can make some of them available". Mr Zelensky mentioned air-defence systems but it was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to more missiles or complete batteries.
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Britain's migrant crisis being fuelled by Putin's Russia and other hostile states in secret plot to destabilise UK
RUSSIA is pushing migrants to the UK to overwhelm border defences and sow division, security sources warn. Vladimir Putin's tactics include providing fake documents, transport and even military escorts to smuggling gangs. 6 Small-boat crossings are being weaponised by hostile states to destabilise Britain, senior security sources warned last night Credit: Chris Eades 6 Foes like Putin's Russia aim to overwhelm our border defences and pile pressure on struggling communities by spreading division Credit: AP More than 18,000 have arrived in dinghies so far this year — and opposition MPs said the crossings should now be declared a 'national security crisis'. Senior security sources warned The Sun that foreign powers are backing or exploiting smuggling gangs in a bid to destabilise Britain. This week, Nato recognised Just 299 migrants crossed the Channel in 2018. The highest year for arrivals was 2022 at 45,774. Thousands of Some have since been charged with national security offences, A top security source told The Sun: 'Hostile states and malign actors are using illegal migration to test borders, cause disruption and destabilise countries like Britain. Sun probe uncovers asylum seekers in hotels linked to string of rape cases 'That's exactly why Nato is now treating border protection as a core part of collective defence — because the lines between traditional military threats and national security are more blurred than ever.' Most read in The Sun Opposition MPs said our broken borders are being tested by hostile states while ministers sit on their hands. 'The news that hostile states are weaponising illegal migration shows that the Government has been negligent in failing to tackle the boat crisis. 'The way to stop it is to immediately remove illegal immigrants to a location outside Europe. 'But Labour scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even started and now record numbers are coming in.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage added: 'I first warned this would happen in my European Parliament speeches over ten years ago. 'The crossings are a national security emergency.' Britain spends billions on border forces, coastal patrols and surveillance in the Channel. These can all now be logged as part of our Nato commitment. Senior officials say the move reflects how lines between military threats and criminal activity are being blurred by hostile regimes. Home Office insiders insist the UK is not blind to the growing risk from foreign interference in the Channel crisis. Countries such as Russia and Iran have long used underhand tactics to mess with the West — from cyber attacks and disinformation to stirring up migration. Security sources say Russia and its puppet-state And only last month, In March And Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto has accused the Kremlin-linked Wagner group of helping drive immigration from North Africa to Europe, calling it a 'clear strategy of hybrid warfare'. 6 This year, 18,000 migrants have crossed on dinghies Credit: Reuters Yesterday PM The pledge covers 3.5 per cent for hard defence, like troops and weapons, and 1.5 per cent on wider security, which includes infrastructure, energy security and border protection. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: 'National security is the first duty of any government — and that means securing our borders. 'We are improving our ability to monitor and anticipate illegal migration flows at both national and international levels, including investing in new state-of-the-art surveillance technology. 'Our Border Security Command is drawing together security operations around our border. 'This means working in close co-operation with Europol, Frontex and individual EU member states to combat organised immigration crime. 'New counter terrorism-style powers will tackle organised immigration crime groups, and existing capabilities carry out identity and criminal record checks on those applying for a visa, clandestine entries and those who arrive by small boat, so that potential threats are immediately addressed.' The Sun understands And after Sir Keir Starmer's meeting with Mr Tusk in January, the UK is stepping up co-operation with Warsaw to tackle the weaponisation of migration. THREE ASYLUM SEEKERS CONVICTED OF CRIMES IN UK Flasher 6 Snur Hamakarim exposed himself to two young girls in an underpass Credit: Dan Charity AYSLUM seeker Snur Hamakarim exposed himself to two young girls in an underpass. The sisters, aged 12 and 15, witnessed the 40-year-old drop his jeans as they walked home from school in Stevenage, Herts, in January. The Iraqi-born migrant had been in the UK for a matter of months. He was later seen on CCTV leaving the underpass 'with his trousers round his ankles'. Prosecutor Micha O'Neill told the town's magistrates' court the girls 'saw the defendant pulling his jeans down and exposing his penis'. Hamakarim was convicted of indecent exposure, fined £50 and given a community order with 200 hours' unpaid work. Trespasser 6 Mieser Oglo climbed into a security area near the Palace of Westminster so he could get a better view of the New Year fireworks Credit: David Dyson Commisioned by The Sun SYRIAN Mieser Oglo climbed into a security area near the Palace of Westminster so he could get a better view of the New Year fireworks on the Thames. The 18-year-old asylum seeker, below, scaled a 4ft-high gate on Canon Row, but claimed he had not realised what he was doing was illegal because the 'No Climbing' sign was in English and he could not read it. Oglo, who arrived in the UK last year and lives in asylum housing at the former RAF Weathersfield, appeared at City of London magistrates' court on Monday, aided by an Arabic interpreter. He told the court: 'Back home, it is normal to climb over fences.' He was convicted of trespass and fined £100. Arsonist 6 Zaidan Hossan Taha did not like the conditions of the home he was placed in — so set it alight Credit: SWNS MIGRANT Zaidan Hossan Taha did not like the conditions of the home he was placed in — so set it alight. The 24-year-old, from Kurdish Iraq, was moved into a Leeds bedsit but was unhappy his food was being stolen. In April he was arrested after threatening to start a blaze there but was released. A month later, he set fire to a blanket in the kitchen and threw it on a sofa before leaving the property. It failed to take hold, but caused smoke damage. Taha was arrested and later spat in an officer's face. Read more on the Irish Sun He admitted arson and assault and told Leeds crown court he came to the UK 'for a better life'. He was jailed for 26 months and told he would probably be deported after prison.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
VAT rate cut for hospitality is back on the table - but will it be enough?
One of the shake-outs from last year's general election and the subsequent Government formation talks is that cutting the VAT rate for the hospitality sector to 9 per cent from 13.5 per cent now looks almost certain to happen. Ahead of last year's budget the idea was knocked back, with Department of Finance officials particularly opposed to the idea, calling it unjustified. 'The cost is very significant. For instance the cost of a further temporary VAT reduction to 9% for a full year is estimated to be €764 million,' the department said at the time. So what changed? READ MORE Aside from the election and a new Coalition, Ireland's budgetary position looks much more precarious as the impacts of Donald Trump's tariffs ripple across the globe, with Ireland and its bounteous corporation tax revenue particularly vulnerable. As a result, as Cliff Taylor notes, the Government has considerably less room to manoeuvre this year in terms of tax cuts than last year, and the mooted cut in VAT for hospitality is likely to eat up most of the available resources. The move has the potential to become a big political issue. Firstly, there is likely to be much less by way of an income tax package for households. As Taylor notes: 'If income tax bands and credits are not adjusted for inflation each year, then taxpayers end up seeing a bit more of their income taken in tax – for example due to a higher proportion of their income being payable at the higher 40 per cent rate.' Just doing nothing, the tax burden creeps higher. Secondly, other SMEs may wonder why they are being left out. And finally customers are unlikely to see much by way of a benefit, other than holding down the rate of inflation they face while eating and drinking out, at least for a while. And what of the benefit for the hospitality sector? The sector remains under pressure with regular reports of businesses closing down, with high costs a frequently cited factor. However, the sector faces a wide range of domestic price pressures, including sharply rising food prices and stubbornly high energy and insurance costs. The more challenging issue for the sector and the Government is that Ireland is now the second most expensive country in the European Union with only Danes expected to pay more for a range of goods and services. When it comes to alcohol and tobacco, prices here are the most expensive, while food and non-alcoholic drink prices in Ireland are third highest in the EU, though this is a slight improvement on recent years. This is likely to be a factor in the decline in inbound tourism – a key pillar for the hospitality sector - this year, with the Central Statistics Office reporting a 4 per cent fall in tourism numbers in April and a 10 per cent decline in spending. While a VAT rate cut may provide short-term relief for the hospitality sector, it is unlikely to deal with the structural challenges it faces. Five Key Reads Annie McCarrick's family in Long Island speak out: 'The gardaí did not investigate who we thought was guilty in the very beginning' - The mother, aunt and oldest friend of the American woman who went missing in Ireland in 1993 talk about how they would take comfort in having their long-standing belief validated. Family Fallouts: 'I can't describe the heartache of not having a relationship with my sister' - When sibling relationships fall apart, it can have devastating consequences on our emotional wellbeing and our physical health. Roe McDermott explores how sibling bonds can become emotionally charged, distant, or even estranged - and the impact this can have. Dolores McNamara: Whatever happened to the €115m lotto winner? This week the country was gripped by the news that an Irish winner had scooped a €250 million EuroMillions jackpot. To mark the occasion, Conor Pope reflects on the fortunes of Limerick woman Dolores McNamara, who won the then largest ever EuroMillions jackpot of €115 million in 2005. The tale encompasses country estates, possibly misguided foreign investments, and security. How AIB came back from the brink: Sixteen years after its initial rescue amid the crash, AIB - once worth less than its art collection - returned this week to full private ownership as the Government sold its final 2 per cent stake to market investors. The Irish bank is now hugely profitable, but, as Joe Brennan writes, the legacy of the bailout still lingers. How the death of an 'old boy from Ireland' in London-Irish suburb sparked a misguided viral appeal: A handwritten notice in a shop window of the death and upcoming funeral of Sligo man Martin Fallon in London recently triggered a well-intentioned but misguided campaign to find Fallon's family. Mark Paul examined what the viral campaign got wrong, as well as Fallon's life story and what it says about the changing nature of a London-Irish enclave. As always, there is much more on , including rundowns of all the latest movies in our film reviews , tips for the best restaurants in our food section and all the latest in sport . There are plenty more articles exclusively available for Irish Times subscribers here . We value your views. Please feel free to send comments, feedback or suggestions for topics you would like to see covered to feedback@ .
