NATO Nears Defense Spending Deal Ahead of The Hague Summit Amid Trump Pressure

Watan-U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that NATO member states are very close to finalizing a deal on defense spending ahead of a key summit later this month. The move is part of an effort to meet President Donald Trump’s demand that all member nations allocate 5% of their GDP to defense.

Trump has been pressuring NATO allies to announce a significant boost in their military budget targets at the upcoming summit set for June 24–25 in the Netherlands.

Speaking after a meeting with NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Hegseth stated:“Countries here are well above the 2% mark, and we believe they are very close to agreeing on a 5% commitment for NATO in The Hague later this month.”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte proposed a compromise agreement that would divide the 5% target into 3.5% for core defense spending and 1.5% for broader security-related areas such as infrastructure.

Hegseth confirmed:“We believe this alliance will commit to 5% — 3.5% on hard military capabilities and 1.5% on infrastructure and related defense activities — in the coming weeks.”
He called this mix a “genuine commitment” and said each country can raise its spending accordingly.

Russian Threat and European Hesitation

With the war in Ukraine ongoing for over three years and doubts about U.S. commitment under Trump’s leadership, European nations are facing pressure to bolster their military budgets.

Several diplomats noted that Rutte appears poised to secure a deal in time for the summit in The Hague. However, some member states remain hesitant about making such substantial commitments.

Spain has been the most vocal about its concerns, acknowledging it won’t meet the current NATO target of 2% GDP until the end of the year.

Other countries are reportedly negotiating for extended deadlines and exemptions from a 0.2 percentage point annual increase in core defense spending.

Despite this, the proposed agreement seems to be an acceptable compromise for most NATO members. It allows Trump to claim he achieved his core demand, even if the actual targets are lower than originally proposed for struggling allies.

Currently, only a few Russia-wary countries like Poland and the Baltic states appear on track to reach the full 5% defense spending mark.

“America Can’t Be Everywhere”

At the same meeting, NATO ministers signed off on new weapons capability goals aimed at deterring Russia.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius estimated that the new requirements would mean Berlin must add 50,000 to 60,000 new troops.

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said reaching the new level would cost the Netherlands 3.5% of its GDP.

Rutte added:“The new investment plan is of course tied to what we need in terms of material capabilities.”

Hegseth, a former TV host, caused a stir during his February visit to NATO when he warned that Washington might reduce troop numbers in Europe to focus on countering the Chinese threat.

This time, he stated he would not preempt Trump’s future decisions, as the U.S. is currently reviewing global force deployments.

“We’ll ensure our pivot to the Indo-Pacific is appropriate and re-establish deterrence there, while also increasing burden-sharing worldwide,” Hegseth said. “America can’t be everywhere at once — and we shouldn’t be.”

Ukraine Sidestepped

While the U.S. focuses on achieving Trump’s defense spending goals in The Hague, it has largely avoided discussions about support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Trump’s return to the White House has disrupted the West’s approach to the three-year-old war.

Hegseth reinforced the need to reduce U.S. commitments to Kyiv by skipping a Wednesday meeting of Ukraine’s supporters in Brussels — and plans to skip another one on Thursday.

In response, Ukraine’s allies have invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to The Hague in a show of support. So far, NATO has only confirmed that Ukraine will be represented, without specifying whether Zelensky will attend.