NATO Summit Faces Spending Tensions as Leaders Gather

The Hague (Netherlands), Jun 25 (AP) NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte remains optimistic about reaching an agreement on significant spending increases during an upcoming "transformational summit" on Wednesday. World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, are gathering in The Netherlands for this pivotal meeting.

With member states expected to set a new defense spending target of 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP), the U.S.—NATO's largest contributor—is recalibrating its focus away from Europe to address security concerns elsewhere.

"This summit is transformational. I am looking forward to it," Rutte shared with reporters in The Hague. He is set to preside over the summit's only working session, projected to conclude in under three hours. However, tensions arose when Spain announced its inability to meet the target by the 2035 deadline, labeling it as "unreasonable."

Belgium also expressed reservations, and Slovakia asserted its right to determine its own defense budget.

"These are difficult decisions; let's be honest," Rutte acknowledged. "Politicians have to make choices in scarcity. This is not easy. However, given the threat from Russia and the international security climate, there is no alternative."

Countries in proximity to Russia and Ukraine, such as Poland and the Baltic nations, have committed to the spending goal, along with European powerhouses Britain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Trump voiced his concern on Tuesday, stating, "There's a problem with Spain. Spain is not agreeing, which is very unfair to the rest of them, frankly." Additionally, he critiqued Canada for being "a low payer." In 2018, a NATO summit during Trump’s first term was disrupted due to a similar defense spending disagreement.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO allies decided on 2% of GDP as the minimum defense spending benchmark. Last year, 22 countries were anticipated to meet this target, a significant increase from just three a decade prior. (AP) PY

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