Overview

• The Hague summit secured a consensus for NATO allies to raise defense budgets to 5% of GDP over ten years, with a 3.5% core military target and a 1.5% allocation for broader security measures.
• President Trump’s remark on Air Force One that his Article 5 commitment “depends on your definition” prompted concern among European capitals about US reliability.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte privately praised Trump’s Iran nuclear site strike and framed the 5% deal as a victory to maintain the president’s engagement.
• Ukraine’s role was downgraded at the shortened summit, with President Zelenskiy limited to the leaders’ dinner and a separate meeting rather than the main working session.
• Debate over the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities featured prominently, with intelligence assessments disputing the strike’s claimed impact.