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6h ago

NATO Says All Allies Will Hit 2% in 2025 as Only Three Meet New 3.5% Target

Leaders now focus on converting bigger budgets into real military capability.

A journalist casts a shadow next to logos on the day of the NATO 75th Anniversary celebratory event in Washington, U.S., July 9, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File photo
The 32-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreed at a June 2024 summit to massively hike defence spending over the next decade

Overview

  • NATO’s latest data shows all 32 members are on track to reach the old 2% of GDP goal in 2025, with total outlays set to exceed $1.5 trillion.
  • Only Poland (4.48%), Lithuania (4.0%) and Latvia (3.73%) currently clear the alliance’s new 3.5% core defense threshold.
  • Allies agreed in June at The Hague to aim for 3.5% of GDP on core defense by 2035 within a broader 5% target that also covers infrastructure and cyber.
  • NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that higher spending must yield usable forces, saying cash alone does not provide security.
  • The spending surge follows Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and sustained pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, with more than 10 allies missing 2% as recently as last year.