NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed optimism Monday that European NATO allies and Canada are “on the path to equalizing their defense spending” with the United States, as President Donald Trump continues to lambast the allies for reportedly spending too little.
Rutte’s comments at Turkey’s presidential palace in Ankara come ahead of a crucial two-day summit of leaders starting on Tuesday in the Turkish capital, where discussions are expected to focus on whether the allies can demonstrate progress that pledges on defense are translating into results.
On spending between European allies and Canada, Rutte said “the evidence we have seen so far is impressive.”
Projections suggest the allies will invest a combined $258 billion (€226 billion) more in defense in 2025 and 2026 than in previous years, he said.
“Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing nearly 4% of their GDP in defense and security,” Rutte said.
The NATO chief also demanded that the allies present “clear, concrete and credible plans” to reach the organization’s spending targets at the Ankara summit.
U.S. NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker said last week that Trump “fully expects that all allies will immediately step up and get on the 5% path and do it with alacrity.”
NATO allies pledge to spend more on defense
At a summit last year, NATO’s 32 members committed to investing 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035, with 3.5% allocated to the main defense budget, and the remaining 1.5% to strategically important roads, bridges and ports.
For European NATO members, spending 5% of GDP on defense represents a huge leap, but Washington has made it clear it expects Europe to take the lead in its own backyard.
Rutte said Monday that European allies and Canada are “taking more leadership within NATO’s command and control structure,” indicating a “real change in mentality.”
Merz hopes for signal from Europe in Ankara
In a press statement ahead of the summit, the German Chancellor said Chancellor Friedrich Merz hoped the summit in Ankara would send a signal that “we are building a European NATO” in order for the alliance to “remain transatlantic”.
German media also reported that Merz spoke to Trump on Friday to correct the US president, who had called the defense budgets of several NATO member states “ridiculous” on social media, while criticizing Germany in particular. According to reports, Merz told Trump that the figures were out of date.
Merz previously said Germany plans to aggressively increase defense spending to quickly reach the 5% limit before 2029, which would be six years ahead of NATO’s deadline.
Germany’s draft defense budget for 2027 calls for a 30% year-on-year increase to about €110 billion.
During a press conference on Friday, Merz said Germany would double its defense spending within four years.
This is the biggest effort ever to strengthen our defense capabilities. In this regard, we have no reason to shy away from anyone,” Merz told journalists last week, adding that he would “express this with all humility” at the NATO summit in Ankara.
Trump puts pressure on NATO allies
Tuesday’s summit comes at a critical time for the NATO alliance, with the Trump administration breaking the alliance’s unity by threatening to annex Greenland from Denmark earlier this year, and then blaming the allies for not providing support for the Iran war, which was launched by the US and Israel without consulting European governments.
Trump has been calling on NATO allies to spend more on defense for years, but recent rhetoric coming from Washington suggests he hopes for a change.
In a speech alarming allies at NATO’s ministerial meeting in Brussels last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called NATO a “paper tiger” and said Europe had got used to “the era of free riding.”
Hegseth also announced a six-month “review” of the U.S. military position in Europe, with the goal of building “a balanced alliance with Europe for its defense.” This has been interpreted as Washington laying the groundwork for withdrawing its troops from Europe.
The secretary said the review process “is designed to ensure that NATO is moving rapidly and irreversibly towards Europe, moving to assume primary responsibility for Europe’s defence.
Hegseth said, “Going forward, our annual NATO dues will be dependent on other countries meeting their defense spending targets. Where other allies do not spend as readily, our dues contribution will be reduced. NATO will be a two-way street.”
Edited by: Zack Crellin
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