NATO urges members to deliver plans for reaching defence spending targets

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has demanded that NATO allies put forward “clear, concrete and credible plans” to reach the organisation’s spending targets at its annual summit in Ankara, Turkiye.

Rutte was speaking in Ankara on Monday ahead of a two-day summit starting on Tuesday. It comes at a crucial time for the alliance, with the United States scaling down its security role in Europe. Washington has been pressing allies to shoulder more of the spending burden.

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The 32 NATO nations agreed last year to invest five percent of their gross domestic product on defence – 3.5 percent on their defence budgets and 1.5 percent on roads, bridges and ports so troops and equipment can move faster in times of conflict.

Spain endorsed the goal but said that it could fulfil NATO’s security requirements without spending so much. Some countries are still struggling to meet the alliance’s old target of two percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

“If one or two of them still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that,” Rutte said, when asked what would happen to allies that don’t have a clear plan. He did not elaborate.

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker suggested last week that the United States does have something in store for those who do not step up, but he declined to say what that might be.

“[US] President [Donald] Trump fully expects that all allies will step up immediately and get on the path to five percent and do it with urgency,” Whitaker said.

On spending by European allies and Canada, Rutte said that “the evidence we see so far is impressive”. He said NATO estimates they will invest a combined $258bn more in defence in 2025 and this year than they have in previous years.

But the numbers might not be enough to satisfy the Trump administration.

Amsterdam announces deal worth billions

Separately on Monday, the Netherlands ⁠⁠said it will announce defence ⁠⁠deals and plans worth more than 3 billion euros ($3.43 billion) in Ankara on Tuesday, Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz told Reuters.

In an interview in the Turkish capital, Yesilgoz said the ⁠⁠announcements would include partnerships with Belgium on air defence and with Britain on naval ships. She said the Netherlands was also looking to engage in more joint projects with Germany.

“We have several levels of plans with ‌‌countries around us, within NATO,” Yesilgoz said. “For the Netherlands, it will be … well over 3 billion euros that we will have new – not only pledges, but concrete plans.”

Yesilgoz did not provide more details ahead of the official announcements, which are intended as part of a blizzard of proclamations by NATO members at the forum ⁠⁠to show they are spending more on defence, as ⁠⁠demanded by the US.

Trump calls for ‘loyalty’

The US president has repeatedly criticised Washington’s allies over defence spending, and in the past threatened not to come to the aid of any NATO member not doing enough.

Trump has called for “loyalty” from NATO allies, after some of them declined to allow the use of their bases in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“We need our allies in NATO to step up and assume leadership roles, and I mean that not only in sort of loud cheerleading but also the moral authority and the moral compass of the alliance,” US ambassador Whitaker said last week.

Asked if she was ⁠⁠confident the US would remain engaged in NATO ⁠⁠despite Trump’s suggestions that he may no longer be committed to the alliance, Dutch Defence Minister Yesilgoz said: “I have to be confident, because I know that we need each other.”

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