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4h ago

NATO Allies Target 5% Defense Spending as Spain and UK Push for Delays Ahead of Hague Summit

Next week’s summit in The Hague will address deep divisions over increased defense budgets against a backdrop of intensifying Russian cyber and military aggression.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez holds a press conference after a meeting of his Socialist Party, in Madrid, Spain, June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo
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US soldiers install a floating element used to assemble a transportation barge across the Danube river on June 13, 2025

Overview

  • President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have urged NATO allies to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defense by 2032, with Secretary General Mark Rutte framing the pledge as 3.5% for core military outlays and 1.5% for border protection, cybersecurity and infrastructure.
  • Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles and UK officials are resisting the 5% benchmark, citing economic constraints and proposing to defer the deadline to 2035 with a review in 2029.
  • EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned in Strasbourg that Russia’s airspace violations, cyberattacks and infrastructure sabotage pose a direct threat to the European Union, emphasizing the need for deeper collective defense measures.
  • NATO is set to reaffirm Ukraine’s irreversible path to membership during the June 24–25 summit and to outline specific steps for additional military aid and enhanced defense industry cooperation.
  • President Vladimir Putin downplayed NATO’s rearmament push as non-threatening at a St Petersburg press conference, insisting Russia remains self-sufficient and capable of neutralizing any emerging risks.