NATO Expected to Agree on 5% Defense Spending Target in Upcoming Summit
Mark Rutte anticipates consensus on enhanced military expenditures among NATO members at the summit in The Hague.
The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, indicated on Monday that he expects member nations to reach an agreement on a comprehensive defense spending target of 5% of GDP at the upcoming summit scheduled for next month in The Hague.
This statement was made during a session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Dayton.
Rutte suggested, "I believe we will come to an agreement in The Hague on a high total defense spending goal of 5%." He further clarified that while he would not disclose the exact breakdown of the spending categories, direct military expenditures would exceed 3%, with an additional target for broader defense-related spending.
Previously, Rutte had proposed that NATO allies increase their defense expenditures to 3.5% of their GDP, with an additional 1.5% allocated to wider security objectives.
This proposal aligns with former U.S. President Donald Trump's call for a 5% defense spending target.
The NATO summit, attended by heads of state and government, is set to take place on June 24-25 in The Hague, where new commitments are expected to be finalized.
However, not all NATO members are supportive of the 5% target.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has publicly opposed this ambitious goal, stating, "Hungary has struggled to meet even the 2% mark, and increasing it would severely impact the Hungarian economy.
It would require a complete reorganization of our budget and could be likened to a wartime economy." Additionally, other member states, including Germany under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have previously expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of achieving a 5% defense spending goal.
While Donald Trump initially proposed the 5% target in December 2022, it is noted that the United States is also far from reaching this figure, with military expenditures projected to account for approximately 3.4% of its GDP in 2024.
This statement was made during a session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Dayton.
Rutte suggested, "I believe we will come to an agreement in The Hague on a high total defense spending goal of 5%." He further clarified that while he would not disclose the exact breakdown of the spending categories, direct military expenditures would exceed 3%, with an additional target for broader defense-related spending.
Previously, Rutte had proposed that NATO allies increase their defense expenditures to 3.5% of their GDP, with an additional 1.5% allocated to wider security objectives.
This proposal aligns with former U.S. President Donald Trump's call for a 5% defense spending target.
The NATO summit, attended by heads of state and government, is set to take place on June 24-25 in The Hague, where new commitments are expected to be finalized.
However, not all NATO members are supportive of the 5% target.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has publicly opposed this ambitious goal, stating, "Hungary has struggled to meet even the 2% mark, and increasing it would severely impact the Hungarian economy.
It would require a complete reorganization of our budget and could be likened to a wartime economy." Additionally, other member states, including Germany under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have previously expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of achieving a 5% defense spending goal.
While Donald Trump initially proposed the 5% target in December 2022, it is noted that the United States is also far from reaching this figure, with military expenditures projected to account for approximately 3.4% of its GDP in 2024.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
