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Washington warns that countries that fail to meet the 5% of GDP target for defense could face reductions in US military presence and restrictions on arms supplies...
US President Donald Trump has increased pressure on NATO allies ahead of the alliance's summit, demanding that member countries immediately increase defense spending. According to the US administration, countries that do not meet the 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target for defense could face concrete consequences.
US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker said that some countries, such as Poland, the Nordic countries and the Baltic states, are already setting an example in increasing military investment, while many other allies are lagging behind. “President Trump expects all allies to act immediately and reach the 5% target as soon as possible,” Whitaker said.
Military spending as a criterion for cooperation with the US
According to a report by the British newspaper The Telegraph, the Trump administration is considering the possibility of countries with higher defense investments having priority in purchasing American weapons and in direct contacts with the American president.
At the same time, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has launched a six-month review of the US military presence in Europe. The process could lead to the withdrawal of troops from countries that do not meet agreed NATO military spending targets.
Senior US officials warned that failing to meet the 5% target would make Europe and Canada less able to guarantee their security in the long term. They added that President Trump would personally present his positions during the NATO summit.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a £15 billion increase in the defence budget this week. However, this will take the UK's spending level to just 2.7% of GDP by 2029, still far from the 5% target.
To finance this package, the British government has announced cuts to several infrastructure projects. According to The Telegraph, Trump remains skeptical that London will be able to significantly increase defense investment.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has deployed the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales near Iceland as part of a NATO operation to strengthen security in the northern region and counter threats related to Russia. The ship carries F-35 fighter jets, engaged in the Alliance's "Arctic Sentry" mission.
The war in Ukraine at the center of the summit
During the summit, Donald Trump is expected to hold a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss options for ending the war in Ukraine.
A senior US official stated that the US president considers it urgent to find a political solution, assessing that the war front has remained largely unchanged in recent months and that neither side has achieved decisive progress.
One of the main topics of the summit will also be the US's commitment to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which stipulates that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on the entire Alliance.
According to diplomatic sources, the summit's final statement will reaffirm an "unwavering commitment" to collective defense and will also include a pledge of military support to Ukraine worth 70 billion euros this year, as well as assistance at least at the same level the following year.
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