5% target

NATO leaders will meet in Ankara amid tensions with the US over defense spending and recent conflicts involving Iran and Greenland. US President Donald Trump is pressuring allies to increase defense budgets to 5% of GDP, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urging members to present concrete plans to meet the target.

Germany’s 2027 budget allocates 20% of federal spending to defense, with plans to increase it to nearly one-third by 2030 to meet NATO’s 5% GDP target. The move, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, aims to strengthen military capabilities amid concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of European defense spending.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda warned that NATO risks fracturing if member states fail to meet the 5% GDP defense spending target by 2035. European countries, including Germany, are struggling to reach this goal, while Baltic states spend more on defense. U.S. President Donald Trump criticized some nations' spending as 'ridiculous,' prompting European leaders to emphasize their efforts to boost defense budgets ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.

The NATO Military Committee Chairman stated European allies are expanding military capabilities to meet a 5% GDP defense spending target. This follows a critical speech by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he accused European partners of weakening their militaries.

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