NATO weighs us our request to spend 5 % on defense – national

On Thursday, NATO ministers discussed an American request to increase defense investments on a large scale to five percent of GDP over the next seven years, as the United States focuses on security challenges outside Europe.

In talks in Antalya, Turkey, NATO Secretary -General Mark Root said that more investment and military equipment are needed to deal with the threat posed by Russia and terrorism, but also by China, which has become the focus of American anxiety.

“When it comes to basic defensive spending, we need to do a lot, and much more,” Roti told reporters. He stressed that once the war in Ukraine ends, Russia can reshape its armed forces within three to five years.

Foreign Minister Marco Rubio stressed that “the coalition is only strong as its weakest link.” He insisted that the demand for American investment revolves around “spending money on the capabilities necessary to threaten the twenty -first century.”

The debate about defensive spending is advancing before the US President Donald Trump’s summit and NATO counterparts in the Netherlands from June 24 to 25. It is a high -level gathering that determines the future European security path, including Ukraine.

In 2023, with the war on a large scale in Russia on its second year, NATO leaders agreed to spend at least two percent of GDP on national defense budgets. So far, 22 of 32 member states have done.

The new spending plan is for all allies to aim at 3.5 percent of GDP on their defense budgets by 2032, in addition to an additional 1.5 percent on possible defense objects such as infrastructure-roads, bridges, airports and seaports.

While the two people add up to five percent, the collaboration in the infrastructure and cybersecurity will change the basis that traditionally calculates NATO defensive spending. The timeline for seven years is also short, according to the usual standards of the alliance.

Root refused to confirm the numbers under study, but he admitted that it is important to include the infrastructure in the equation, “for example to make sure that the bridges, yes, there is for you and to take our cars but also if it is necessary to make sure that the bridge will carry a tank. So all these expenses must be taken into account.”

Germany said on Thursday that it supports Trump’s request.

“We follow him (Trump), and we see this clear commitment by the United States for Article 5 of NATO,” said new Foreign Minister Johan Wadil, in reference to the mutual defense agreement in the military alliance.

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It is difficult to know the number of members who will reach a new goal of 3.5 percent. Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain are not spent even by 2 percent so far, although Spain expects to reach this goal in 2025, which is last year.

American demand will require an unprecedented investment, but Trump has caused doubt whether the United States will defend allies who spend very little, and this still serves as an incentive to do more, even when European allies realize that they must match the threat posed by Russia.

The leaders and experts of industry at the level of Europe pointed to the challenges that the continent must overcome to be a truly self -sufficient military force, especially its decades’ adoption on the United States as well as the fragmented defense industry.

“There is a lot at stake for us,” said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys. He urged his partners in NATO to achieve investment goals faster than the goal of 2032 “because we see the rhythm and speed, and how Russia is now generating its forces while we are talking.”

British Foreign Secretary David Lami said that his country should reach 2.5 percent by 2027, then three percent in the upcoming UK elections planned for 2029.

He said: “It is extremely important to note the defense of Europe and that we escalate alongside our American partners at this difficult geopolitical moment as there is a lot of precious worldwide, especially in the Indian Pacific.”

As an organization, NATO does not play a direct security role in Asia, and it is still unclear what is demanding that Trump’s management of the allies because she directs her attention to China. The last NATO security operation outside the Atlantic region ended, which lasted 18 years in Afghanistan.

–Cook mentioned from Brussels, Fraser from Ankara, Türkiye

And copied 2025 Canadian press