“Confidential Pact Outlines Significant Increase in Defense Investment”
The Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, stated on Saturday that member countries will need to enhance their defense spending by more than 3% of their GDP. This announcement came shortly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized NATO allies for their lack of commitment to European defense and called for a minimum GDP spending target of 5%. This proposed increase would be a substantial rise from the current 2% mark that members had agreed to over ten years ago, a target that no member has yet achieved, as reported by CNBC.
During an interview at the Munich Security Conference, Rutte emphasized that member nations will be required to allocate “considerably more than 3%” of their GDP towards defense expenditure. Hegseth had recently demanded a minimum contribution of 5% of GDP for defense spending. Rutte stressed the need for a convergence on the budget goal in the upcoming months and stated that countries will have to prioritize defense over other areas, such as social welfare programs, in order to meet the heightened defense spending objectives.
NATO’s 32 member countries are set to discuss and agree upon the new defense spending targets at an upcoming summit scheduled for June in the Hague, Netherlands, according to Rutte. Despite concerns raised by Hegseth regarding the reliance on the U.S. for defense, Rutte assured that Washington remains committed to the alliance. He acknowledged that the U.S. accounts for 50% of NATO’s GDP, emphasizing its significant role within the organization.
While acknowledging the more critical stance of the U.S. towards NATO during a potential second Trump administration, Rutte advised member nations to engage constructively in the debate and propose tangible solutions rather than simply complaining. President Trump had previously criticized NATO members for not meeting their fair share of defense spending and had even suggested allowing Russia more freedom if allies did not increase their contributions.
