Trump says US doesn’t have to meet NATO spending goal
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Ukraine war latest: Kremlin agrees with Trump over G8 ‘mistake’ – after Kyiv comes under nine-hour attack
Trump looked uneasy at G7 summit – his early exit spared him a Ukraine showdown. European countries have wanted to lower the price cap on Russian oil, which would be a measure to shrink Putin’s war chest. Trump gave it a body swerve when he left the gathering, but not before he placed his cards on the table. “When I sanction a country, it costs the US a lot of money. You’re talking about billions and billions of dollars,” he said. In a press Q&A upon arrival, he bemoaned the absence of Russia, Moscow having been expelled from the G8 in 2014.
By James Matthews, US correspondent
With the smoke clearing on Trump’s G7 departure, we’re seeing consequences beyond the immediate priority in the Middle East.
Before that conflict blew up, Ukraine was slated as the big ticket item here. A set-piece show of unity to advance the Ukrainian cause, with its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy feted as a special guest, celebrated and supported.
That was before a Russian-friendly US president took an early plane out, the same president who has fragmented an alliance against Moscow’s aggression.
This G7 summit was an opportunity for the world’s big economies to coalesce around a unified strategy to increase pressure on Russia – without its biggest economy, unity and strategy are undermined. It’s entirely in keeping with Donald Trump’s input since he took power.
We do expect an announcement on new sanctions against Russia – European countries have wanted to lower the price cap on Russian oil, which would be a measure to shrink Putin’s war chest.
Trump gave it a body swerve when he left the gathering, but not before he placed his cards on the table.
“Let’s see them do it first,” referring to European countries. “When I sanction a country, it costs the US a lot of money. You’re talking about billions and billions of dollars.”
It’s not all he had to say on Russia. In a press Q&A upon arrival, he bemoaned the absence of Russia, Moscow having been expelled from the G8 in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea.
It wasn’t what this gathering wanted to see or hear – Trump, the guest who brought the lead balloon to the party.
It was an uneasy juxtaposition as the Canadian host Mark Carney welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the summit and spoke of the importance of using “maximum pressure”
against Russia. It’s a ‘maximum’ minimised by Trump’s absence.
Had Donald Trump stuck around, of course, it might have got ugly.
On day one, he already looked uneasy in the company of political counterparts he has antagonised from a distance.
His early exit spared him the spectacle of a showdown over Ukraine, even if that’s something G7 members might have welcomed as an opportunity long overdue.
Maybe Trump saw it coming. Maybe it led to his going.
Spain rejects NATO’s 5% defence spending hike as ‘counterproductive’
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez warns the spending hike would undermine EU efforts to build its own security and defence base. Any agreement on increased defence spending must be approved unanimously by all 32 NATO members, giving Spain leverage to delay or water down the deal. Spain currently spends approximately 1.28 percent of its GDP on defence, the lowest among NATO members. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed European allies are not pulling their weight, and has threatened to withhold support for those who fall short of NATO’s 2 percent target. The U.S. is estimated to have spent 3.38 percent on defence in 2024, according to NATO estimates. The proposal also faces resistance from Spain’s political left.
Spain has reportedly asked to opt out of NATO’s proposed defence spending target of 5 percent of GDP, risking disruption to a key agreement expected at next week’s alliance summit.
In a letter addressed to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the alliance to adopt a more flexible framework, according to media reports.
The letter, seen by the Reuters and Associated Press news agencies, called for either the target to remain optional or for Spain to be exempt entirely.
“Committing to a 5% target would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive,” Sanchez wrote, warning that it would undermine efforts by the European Union to build its own security and defence base. “As a sovereign Ally, we choose not to.”
Sanchez insisted Madrid does not intend to block the outcome of the upcoming summit. But any agreement on increased defence spending must be approved unanimously by all 32 NATO members, giving Spain leverage to delay or water down the deal.
Spain currently spends approximately 1.28 percent of its GDP on defence, the lowest among NATO members, according to alliance estimates. While Sanchez has pledged to accelerate the country’s path to NATO’s current 2 percent goal, he argues that going beyond that risks harming the welfare state and compromising Spain’s broader policy vision.
NATO’s push for higher spending follows calls by US President Donald Trump and others to share the burden more fairly across the alliance. Rutte has suggested a new formula that allocates 3.5 percent of GDP to core military spending and an additional 1.5 percent to broader security needs.
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Pressure to increase defence spending
The United States, NATO’s largest military contributor and Ukraine’s main backer since Russia’s 2022 invasion, is estimated to have spent 3.38 percent of its GDP on defence in 2024. Trump has repeatedly claimed European allies are not pulling their weight, and has threatened to withhold support for those who fall short.
Sanchez, however, said rushing to meet a 5 percent target would force EU states to buy military equipment from outside the bloc, damaging the continent’s attempts to bolster self-sufficiency in defence.
The proposal also faces resistance from Spain’s political left. The left-leaning Sumar party, part of Sanchez’s coalition, opposes the move, while Podemos, not in government but often a key parliamentary ally, has also rejected it.
“If the government needs parliamentary support to approve spending, it will have a very difficult time in the current situation,” said Josa Miguel Calvillo, a professor of international relations at the Complutense University of Madrid, speaking to Reuters.
Italy has also raised concerns, reportedly seeking to shift the proposed deadline for the new target from 2032 to 2035 and drop the requirement to increase spending by 0.2 percent annually.
One senior European official told Reuters that Spain’s rejection complicates talks but said discussions are ongoing. “It doesn’t look good, indeed, but we are not over yet. Spain has demonstrated to be a steadfast ally so far.”
Trump demands more from NATO—can the alliance deliver a spending deal that satisfies Washington?
US President Donald Trump is demanding NATO allies massively ramp up defence spending to five percent of GDP. Trump has long accused European allies of taking US protection for granted and underspending on defence. But with countries across the alliance scrambling to boost budgets, could a deal be reached by NATO’s June summit that allows Trump to claim a win? Some countries like Spain, Italy and Canada are still well below NATO’s current two percent target.
But with countries across the alliance scrambling to boost budgets, could a deal for a new target be reached by NATO’s June summit that allows Trump to claim a win?
Trump, like other US presidents, has long accused European allies of taking US protection for granted and underspending on defence. But he has taken a tougher line and threatened not to defend countries who he thinks are scrimping.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NATO counterparts on Thursday they must agree a “realistic pathway” to five percent, and that means Washington would also have to spend more too.
Rubio conceded Europe could not be expected to make the hikes “in one year or two.”
What’s the current level?
Faced with Russia’s war on Ukraine, NATO allies have already ramped up spending in recent years. As Trump stokes fears over US reliability, more plans for further increases are being announced.
“This is probably the biggest increase in defence spending here on the European side of NATO since the end of the Cold War. But we still need more,” NATO chief Mark Rutte said.
Rutte says in order to fulfil plans to counter Russia then countries have to spend well above three percent.
Multiple diplomats said NATO’s internal estimates put the figure at between 3.5 and 3.7 percent.
Those feeling most threatened by Russia are already well ahead, with Poland and the Baltic States vowing to hit five percent soon.
Germany has paved the way for a major splurge and the EU has announced measures to bolster spending. But some countries like Spain, Italy and Canada are still well below NATO’s current two percent target.
The United States–by far NATO’s largest spender in dollar terms–last year spent slightly less than 3.4 percent of GDP on defence.
Spain wants exemption from NATO’s 5 percent defense spending target
NATO countries meet next week for the first alliance summit since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The U.S. president wants members to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense, a big jump from the current 2 percent target. To placate Trump, Rutte has proposed that the 5 percent target should include 3.5 percent of GDP on purely military expenditures.
To placate Trump, Rutte has proposed that the 5 percent target should include 3.5 percent of GDP on purely military expenditures and 1.5 percent for defense-related items such as military mobility and cybersecurity.
NATO’s decision-making process is consensus-based, meaning one ally can block the other 31 with a veto. Earlier this month, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Madrid would not prevent NATO allies from agreeing to a new 5 percent target, but that her country would stick to 2 percent for now.
“Of course, it is not our intention to limit the spending ambitions of other allies or to obstruct the outcome of the upcoming summit,” the Sánchez letter reads, asking for either flexible wording that would make the target optional or a proper carve-out for Spain.
In contrast, Swedish political parties on Thursday agreed to meet the 5 percent target by 2032 and to borrow as much as 300 billion krona (€27 billion) to do so.
Sánchez argued that Spain doesn’t need to spend 5 percent of its GDP to fulfill its so-called capability targets, meaning new objectives of weapons inventory agreed by NATO defense ministers earlier this month.
NATO likely to hike defense spending despite economic woes – DW – 06
NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Thursday showed “broad support” for a hike in defense spending at a crunch summit later this month. This was their response to the growing threat from Russia and a “more dangerous world” in general. Current NATO guidelines encourage states to spend 2% of their economic output on their militaries. But not all of the alliance’s members meet this target, raising questions of how they will reach an even higher spending goal. But NATO chief Mark Rutte has specified a division of the new spending goal that could allow Trump to claim a headline figure, while giving the other 31 nations room to maneuver their national budgets. He said 3.5% of national GDP could be allotted to “core defence spending” while the remaining 1.5%. could be diverted to “defense- and security-related investment like infrastructure and industry,” he said. It seems likely that NATO members will officially commit to the 5% goal at these upcoming talks. Topping the agenda will be discussions on the ongoing war in Ukraine, and Russia’s resulting massive rearmament drive.
A NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Thursday showed “broad support” for signing off a historic hike in defense spending at a crunch summit later this month. This was their response to the growing threat from Russia and a “more dangerous world” in general, the military alliance’s Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters.
“I will propose an overall investment plan that would total 5% of gross domestic product in defense investment,” Rutte announced, following months of pressure from US President Donald Trump for allies to more than double the present target.
Current NATO guidelines encourage states to spend 2% of their economic output on their militaries. But not all of the alliance’s members meet this target, raising questions of how they will reach an even higher spending goal.
Splitting the bill
In response, NATO chief Rutte has specified a division of the new spending goal that could allow Trump to claim a headline figure, while giving the other 31 nations room to maneuver their national budgets. Thus, of the 5%, 3.5% of national GDP could be allotted to “core defence spending”, while the remaining 1.5% could be diverted to “defense- and security-related investment like infrastructure and industry,” he said.
Allied defense ministers gathered at the NATO headquarters in Brussels Image: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu/picture alliance
Trump has long criticized NATO allies for relying on the US’ large military might as a strategy to defend the European continent. In 2023, more than two thirds of the 32 NATO countries’ collective $1.3 trillion (€1.14 trillion) military spending came from Washington, according to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
On Thursday, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth drove home the message to the rest of the alliance once again. “Every shoulder has to be to the plough. Every country has to contribute at that level of 5% as a recognition of the nature of threat,” he said.
Leaders of the world’s most powerful defense alliance are set to gather in three weeks in the Dutch city The Hague. Topping the agenda will be discussions on the ongoing war in Ukraine, and Russia’s resulting massive rearmament drive. It seems likely that NATO members will officially commit to the 5% goal at these upcoming talks.
Giving in to pressure
Under US pressure, and with Europeans alarmed by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO military spending has already burgeoned in recent years. Most countries now meet the 2% threshold, which was agreed upon 11 years ago. But around one third of the alliance still doesn’t, including Portugal, Italy, Canada, Belgium, and Spain.
Most NATO states had indicated willingness to spend more, but the 5% goal was considered far-fetched when Trump floated the idea earlier this year. Almost half a year on, the message seems to be resonating with many in the alliance.
Earlier this week, 14 NATO states, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the five Nordic states, published a joint statement in which they said they were “moving towards reaching at least 5% of GDP on defense and defense-related investments.”
Specter of war: Are Europeans really ready to rearm? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Last month, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadepuhl also indicated Germany could get on board with the goal.
Several NATO countries, including Poland, Estonia and Lithuania, have already committed to spending 5% or more in the future. All are former Soviet states, and two of them share a border with Russia.
Since taking office in January, the “America-first” president has strained the NATO alliance with threats not to help defend alliance members that didn’t meet spending targets should they be attacked. His designs on the semi-autonomous Danish territory Greenland have also alienated allies, as have his attempts at bilateral talks to find an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which sidelined European partners and left Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy largely marginalized.
Questions remain
There are still many open questions to be answered, one of them being the timeline.
On Thursday, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur spoke of committing to reaching 5% within five years. “We don’t have time for ten years, we don’t even have time for seven years, to be honest,” he said.
But the official focus at this week’s meeting was on working out what exact capabilities NATO would need and may currently be missing to defend itself if a member of the alliance were attacked. After the talks, Rutte spoke of the need to upgrade air defense systems and long-range missiles, among other things.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Germany might need as many as 50,000 – 60,000 more troops in its standing forces to meet defense needs in the coming years.
Increased spending amid economic downturn
While consensus appears to be forming, it is also clear that increasing military spending to 5% of GDP would be an enormous strain on public finances, particularly as Europe’s two major economies, Germany and France, face tough times.
Paris and Berlin are touting increased defense spending as a chance to fuel economic growth in Europe, but there is a risk of public backlash. In April in Rome, the opposition Five Star Movement led a protest against an EU drive to rearm the bloc — a move supported by the government of far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — reportedly drawing tens of thousands of people.
According to Cullen Hendrix, an expert from the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a US think tank, a 5% spending target would essentially put NATO countries on “war footing.”
US secretary of State Pete Hegseth was in Brussels for the last NATO gathering before next month’s summit Image: Bob Reijnders/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images
“In 2023, just nine countries spent 5% of GDP or more on defense: Algeria, Armenia, Israel, Lebanon, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Sudan,” Hendrix wrote in February. “Most are, or were, at war. Five of these are authoritarian petro-states, unencumbered by competitive elections or the need to tax their populaces to fund this military largesse.”
There is also a risk that increased spending will make Europe less safe, Hendrix warned. “Increasing military spending to this extent would likely catalyze an arms race with those near-peer competitors.”
On Thursday in Brussels, Rutte argued there was little choice but to spend significantly more on defense, pointing to recent comments by the German Chief of Defense Carsten Breuer, who posited that Russia would be ready to mount an attack on NATO states by 2029.
“We live in a more dangerous world,” Rutte said. “We are safe today, but if we don’t do this, we are not safe in the foreseeable future.”
Edited by: Maren Sass