Mark Root, Secretary -General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the left, and US President Donald Trump, during the NATO summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
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On Wednesday, NATO allies agreed to more than twice the goal of defensive spending from 2 % of GDP to 5 % by 2035, in the most decisive step of the alliance for more than a decade.
In a joint declaration, the Western military bloc said it was “united in the face of deep security threats and challenges”, especially the long -term threat posed by Russia for European Atlantic Security and “the constant threat” of terrorism.
“The allies are committed to investing 5 % of GDP annually on the basic defense requirements as well as defense and security spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations.”
The number consists of 5 % of “at least” 3.5 % of the gross domestic product that should be spent on “pure defense”, with the rest to “critical infrastructure” related to defense, and the statement said, “Our civil preparation and flexibility, release innovation, and enhance our defensive industrial base.”
NATO allies said that the allies will be asked to provide annual plans to “show a reliable and increasing path to reach this goal”, after retreating from some member states, especially Spain.
Some member states have not yet fulfilled the goal for the year 2014 to spend 2 % of GDP on defense.
This historical step comes against the background of tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. The members were also pushed to the new goal after years of pressure on both periods of US President Donald Trump to Canadian and European allies in Washington to exchange more collective defense burden.
On Wednesday, the coalition also reaffirmed its “iron commitment to collective defense” as it is dedicated in Article 5 that the attack on one of them is an attack on everyone, after the question marks on the reliability of the United States when it comes to the central column of NATO.
“We are still united and fixed in our determination to protect one billion citizens, defend the coalition, and protect our freedom and democracy,” the statement said.
“Quantum”
In the treatment of the summit, NATO Secretary -General Mark Retty said that the agreement will lead to the “quantum leap” in the coalition’s collective defense.
The deal only “increases our security, but also creates job opportunities,” Root continued, saying that the allies have made “great obligations to meet great threats.”
He said that the allies realized the severity of the threats facing the coalition, and they were “united in understanding that we need to go up to stay safe.”
The Hague, Netherlands – June 25: NATO leaders as a general Secretary of NATO Mark Retti listen to opening data during a plenary session in the Atlantic Council on the second day of the NATO Summit 2025 on June 25, 2025 in The Hague, the Netherlands. The NATO summit for this year, which brings together the heads of state and the government from all over the military alliance, is held in the Netherlands for the first time. Among other matters, members must agree to a new defense investment plan that raises a target for defensive spending to 5 % of GDP. (Photography by Brendan SMIALOWSKI – Swimming Bath/Getty Pictures)
Combat | Getty Images News | Gety pictures
He said that President Trump confirmed that America is committed to NATO, but it expects European and Canada allies to contribute more, and this is exactly what we see.
Root admitted that this was the “first day” of the necessary effort to increase the defense capabilities in the alliance and said, “We need innovation and we need to act quickly.”
He said: “The decisions made today will make NATO much stronger, and it also makes NATO a more just alliance. The Allies’ intention is clear: We are in this together, committed to Article 5, and we are determined to stand firm.”
When he took questions from the press about his relationship with Trump, Roti said: “I think he deserves all praise.”
While he was wandering at the top late on Tuesday, Trump seemed to be wondering about the principles of collective defense in NATO (Article 5), which states that the attack on a member was an attack on everyone.
“There are many definitions of Article 5. You know that, right?” Trump told reporters in the first air force. “But I am committed to being their friends, as you know, I have become a friend of many of these leaders, and I am committed to helping them.”
Root said on Wednesday that he trusts the president and that the United States is “completely committed” to the agreement, saying: “As you know, Article 5 is completely clear, and at the same time, we have always said that we will not get into the details about when Article 5 will be operated.”
Roti also said he believed Spain was “dangerous” and adheres to 3.5 %, although Madrid expresses fears about the rise before the summit.
“Cold, calm and complex”
With the similarity of the 2025 meeting to “a balance between the new NATO, where we have more balance and more Europe in it,” the President of Finland told CNBC after the launch of a joint statement that the atmosphere at the summit was “cold, calm and collected.”
“There was a lot of self -waiver that I think was worth because it was in many ways a historic meeting of NATO belonging to his roots to defend the collective soul as a deterrent to Russia,” Alexander Stop told CNBC from CNBC.
Stop said that Trump and Ruti were “very happy” with the result and “there was a lot of smiles around the table, regardless of the difficult situation we are in.”
“I think the Americans are happy … the Europeans woke up and the smell of coffee,” he added.
Commenting on the apparent Spain axis, German Foreign Minister Johann and Edelil CNBC told that “at the end of the day, they knew one against 31 (member state) meaningless.”
Steve Sydgek of CNBC said: Berlin, who committed to 5 % spending before gathering this week, took some time to reach this point but is now ready to show more leadership when it comes to European defense.
“The United States realized that Europe has returned again,” he said.
– CNBC from CNBC contributed to this article.
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