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3mo ago

NATO Ministers Discuss 5% Defense Spending Framework Under U.S. Pressure

Negotiations in Antalya focus on a phased plan to meet U.S. demands for increased defense investment by 2032, with a decision expected at the June summit in The Hague.

OPSHOT - US President Donald Trump sits with his arms crossed during a roundtable discussion on the Safe Reopening of Americas Schools during the coronavirus pandemic, in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2020, in Washington, DC. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a media conferenc6 at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
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Overview

  • NATO foreign ministers are working on a compromise to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2032, combining 3.5% for direct military spending and 1.5% for related investments like infrastructure and cybersecurity.
  • The Trump administration, represented by envoy Matthew Whitaker, has tied future U.S. defense commitments to allied contributions, emphasizing the necessity of the 5% target for security.
  • As of 2024, 22 of NATO's 32 members met the current 2% GDP defense spending guideline, but no member, including the U.S., has reached the proposed 5% threshold.
  • The proposed framework expands NATO's definition of defense spending to include mobility, infrastructure, and cybersecurity, marking a shift from traditional military hardware expenditures.
  • A formal decision on the new spending target is scheduled for the NATO summit in The Hague on June 25, as alliance members navigate economic disparities and political tensions.