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NATO Adopts 5% of GDP Defense Spending Target by 2035, Faces Member Objections

It splits spending between core military needs and broader security investments, exposing alliance divisions over timeline and national implementation efforts.

Overview

  • NATO’s 32 member nations formally agreed at The Hague summit to boost defense budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035, dividing the commitment into 3.5% for traditional military capabilities and 1.5% for non-military security investments.
  • Spain declared it will not join the 5% threshold, saying 2.1% of GDP suffices for its needs, while Slovakia argued the 2035 deadline conflicted with economic priorities.
  • Germany has amended its Basic Law to exempt defence spending from debt limits, aiming to raise its military budget to 3.5% of GDP by 2029.
  • President Trump’s administration is actively pressing Japan and South Korea to increase their defense outlays in line with NATO’s new spending framework.
  • The shift to higher and broader defense spending targets is expected to spur global arms demand and reshape the defense industrial base.