At the 2025 NATO Summit held in The Hague (June 24–25), alliance members agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, split between core military and broader security capabilities.

The summit reaffirmed NATO’s commitment to Article 5 collective defence and addressed key issues including defense burden-sharing, the Ukraine conflict, Israel–Iran tensions, and evolving global threats.

Key Points:

1. All 32 NATO members endorsed a landmark deal to raise annual defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035—3.5% on military capabilities and 1.5% on related security measures
2. The Hague Declaration reaffirmed NATO’s ironclad commitment to Article?5, stating “an attack on one is an attack on all”.
3. U.S. President Donald Trump played a pivotal leadership role, pushing the 5% target and obtaining commitments from allies, though Spain secured an exemption and will maintain spending around 2.1%.
4. Secretary-General Mark Rutte struck a pragmatic tone—later praising Trump as “Daddy” for his support—aiming to placate U.S. concerns while keeping European unity.
5. Beyond budgets, discussions included Ukraine support (though Ukraine wasn't made a member), the fragile Israel–Iran ceasefire, and increased resilience against Russian threats.

About NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a political and military alliance founded in 1949 to ensure the collective defense of its members. Based on the principle of Article 5, it considers an attack on one member as an attack on all.

NATO currently has 32 member countries, primarily from North America and Europe, and its headquarters is located in Brussels, Belgium. The alliance plays a key role in promoting global peace, crisis management, and cooperative security.