Overview

• NATO allies are closing in on a commitment to allocate 5% of GDP to defense after US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pressed for shared expenditure burdens.
• Secretary General Mark Rutte will propose at the summit in The Hague a framework diverting 3.5% of GDP to core military capabilities and 1.5% to defense infrastructure.
• New capability targets agreed by defense ministers will raise requirements by around 30% over 2021 levels and must be met within 5–10 years.
• Germany plans to expand its armed forces by 50,000–60,000 troops, form new brigades and exempt defense contracts from its constitutional debt brake.
• Latvia and Lithuania called for urgent spending increases to counter Russia while the UK committed to investing in advanced technology to enhance lethality and operational readiness.