Overview

• NATO’s 32 members agreed to raise core military budgets to 3.5% of GDP and dedicate an additional 1.5% to cybersecurity, infrastructure and intelligence by 2035, reaching a collective 5% defense spending target.
• President Trump declined to explicitly endorse the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense guarantee during his transatlantic flight, citing varying definitions and offering no clear commitment.
• Secretary-General Mark Rutte lavished praise on Trump’s recent bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities and hosted him overnight at the Dutch royal palace to secure his backing for the summit deal.
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico voiced reservations about meeting the 5% target, pointing to budget constraints and competing domestic priorities.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with Trump at the summit to press for new air-defense purchases and additional sanctions on Russia.