Overview

• Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he expects alliance leaders in The Hague on June 24-25 to endorse a 5% defense spending target.
• Under a plan circulated by Rutte, members would raise core military budgets to 3.5% of GDP and dedicate 1.5% to related spending such as infrastructure and cyber by 2032.
• The push reflects sustained U.S. pressure under President Trump and concerns over Russia’s actions in Ukraine and its partnerships with other authoritarian states.
• NATO figures show 23 of 32 members are on track to meet the current 2% GDP benchmark this summer, with Poland at about 4.7% and the Baltics planning to hit 5%.
• Several members, including Canada at 1.37% of GDP, will face significant budget increases and have set multi-year timelines to exceed NATO targets.