NATO Summit in The Hague: Defense Spending and Global Security at the Forefront
NATO leaders convene in The Hague to discuss defense spending, collective security, and the impact of recent geopolitical events, including tensions with Iran and the war in Ukraine.
Trump heads overseas for NATO talks in wake of Iran ceasefire
Washington Examiner
NATO leaders gather for historic summit with unity on the line
Associated Press
Spain Excluded From 5 Percent NATO Target
Epoch Times
Overview
- NATO leaders are meeting in The Hague to address defense spending and collective security amid rising global tensions, particularly due to Russia's war on Ukraine.
- President Trump is advocating for a historic 5% defense spending pledge from NATO allies, emphasizing the need for increased military investment.
- Spain's rejection of the 5% target raises concerns about unity within NATO, while other members are aligning with Trump's demands for increased spending.
- Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is attending the summit, highlighting the importance of NATO's support for Ukraine during this critical period.
- Recent geopolitical events, including Trump's military actions in Iran and a potential ceasefire between Israel and Iran, are influencing discussions at the summit.
Content generated by AI—learn more or report issue.
Get both sides in 5 minutes with our daily newsletter.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the NATO summit as a pivotal moment for President Trump, emphasizing his controversial stance on military spending and alliances. They highlight a sense of unpredictability surrounding his leadership, reflecting skepticism about U.S. commitment to NATO. The tone suggests concern over potential geopolitical ramifications and internal dissent.
President Trump's first appearance at NATO since returning to the White House was focused on the U.S. securing a historic military spending pledge from other members of the alliance.
Trump's decision to strike three nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran and announce a ceasefire between Israel and Iran has garnered attention.
NATO countries are used to Trump's unpredictable behavior and his dislike for the alliance.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be present at the NATO summit this week.
Trump's attitude towards global alliances was clearly communicated during his presidential campaigns.
Trump will take credit for NATO countries committing to unprecedented military spending increases, as demanded by him.
European allies are concerned about possible indications of a wider U.S. withdrawal.
World leaders are convening in the Netherlands for a significant two-day NATO summit.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived in The Hague for meetings, despite missing a leaders' meeting, to engage in a series of discussions.
French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz endorse U.S. peace efforts to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and European security.
Iran launched multiple missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar, with the majority being intercepted.
Spain will remain in NATO by contributing 2.1% of its GDP to defense spending, despite being the alliance's lowest spender at 1.28% of GDP last year.
NATO allies agreed to boost defense spending to 5% of GDP, with the exception of Spain which reached a deal to be excluded from the target.
The allies are expected to endorse a goal of spending 5% of their gross domestic product on security at the summit.
President Trump is attending a NATO summit in Brussels and The Hague, Netherlands.
Trump's first NATO summit of his second term marks a reemergence in the alliance he previously criticized during his first term.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is against spending 5 percent of GDP on defense, refusing to increase it beyond 2.1% to appease US President Donald Trump.
NATO leaders gather for a potentially historic summit in The Hague that could either unite or deepen divisions among allies.
Spain rejected the new NATO target of 5% of GDP for defense spending, deeming it unreasonable.
Articles (28)
"…Much about this NATO summit is brief, even though ripples could be felt for years."
PBS NewsHour·21h·"…Whittaker says he hopes to see the transition to Europe taking the primary responsibility for Europe’s security, but stresses 'the US isn’t going anywhere.'"
The Guardian·2h·"…But despite efforts to bolster homegrown defence, European states are still turning to the US to plug critical gaps."
The Guardian·5h·"…Concerns from earlier this year about whether Trump would reject Nato, withdraw US troops from Europe, abandon Ukraine and pursue a close relationship with Moscow have eased, though none have gone away."
The Guardian·7h·"…The Spanish government sources argue that the 3.5% on core defence spending will actually vary from country to country – eg it will cost some countries more than 3.5% of their GDP to meet the capability target and some less."
The Guardian·20h·"…The NATO summit, which starts on Tuesday and lasts for two days, is the first to be attended by US President Donald Trump since he took office in January for his second term."
Al Jazeera·5h·"…Much will depend on the precise situation in the Middle East when the summit takes place – such as whether Iran has retaliated against the US – and whether other NATO leaders address the strikes with Trump or in comments to reporters."
Al Jazeera·17h·"…Our American ally has became so elusive and hostile that no one dares to imagine how this NATO summit will unfold."
NPR·1d·"…Trump is going into the conference with a key priority: he wants the alliance to codify an increase in defense spending across all member nations, from 2% of their gross domestic product to 5%."
ABC News·2h·"…World leaders are gathering in the Netherlands for the start of a historic two-day NATO summit that could unite the world’s biggest security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 allies."
ABC News·3h·"…The impact of the strikes had already begun to shape the summit, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte dancing around the issue even as hundreds of people showed up in The Hague on Sunday to denounce the conflict in a protest that was supposed to be focused on defense spending."
ABC News·7h·"…Much about this NATO summit is brief, even though ripples could be felt for years."
ABC News·1d·"…Hundreds of people protested Sunday against NATO and military spending and against a possible conflict with Iran, two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague that is seeking to increase allies' defense budgets."
ABC News·1d·"…The U.S. is "calling for restraint and [urging] both parties to avoid escalation," and he went on to say that the U.S. is "engaged at the highest levels" and backs direct talks between Russia and Ukraine."
CBS News·2h·"…On the eve of the gathering in The Hague, things are going off the rails."
Bloomberg·19h·"…Spain obtained an exemption from NATO’s ambitious defense spending target of 5% of GDP after several days of diplomatic wrangling that drew scorn from Donald Trump, right before leaders of the military alliance gather on Tuesday."
Fortune·1d·"…NATO leaders were gathering in the Netherlands on Tuesday for the start of a historic two-day summit that could unite the world’s biggest security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 allies."
Associated Press·4h·"…The sharp U-turn in hostilities just hours before he was set to depart for the summit is sure to dominate the discussions in The Hague, Netherlands."
Associated Press·8h·"…The 5% goal is made up of two parts."
Associated Press·1d·"…Much about this NATO summit is brief, even though ripples could be felt for years."
Associated Press·1d·"…This summit is about credibility."
BBC News·22h·"…Much about this NATO summit is brief, even though ripples could be felt for years."
Boston Herald·19h·"…NATO reached an agreement for all nations to boost their defense spending to five percent of their gross domestic product, except Spain."
FOX News·2h·"…The summit between foreign leaders will likely include conversations about Trump's recent decision to involve the United States in Israel's campaign in the Middle East."
FOX News·1d·"…The NATO summit will be held at The Hague in the Netherlands from June 24-25 and a range of defensive issues are expected to be addressed, including expanding national spending commitments, aid to Ukraine, emerging threats from Iran and relations with the U.S. under President Donald Trump."
FOX News·1d·"…Trump has now shown his willingness to use military force, and decisively."
Washington Examiner·2h·"…This year’s summit is poised to set a bold new defense spending target of 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for each member country, more than doubling the current 2 percent benchmark."
Epoch Times·17h·"…Spain will, therefore, not spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense, but its participation, weight, and legitimacy in NATO remain intact."
Epoch Times·18h·FAQ
NATO allies agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of their countries' GDP by 2035, with 3.5% allocated to core military capabilities and 1.5% to security-related investments such as cybersecurity and infrastructure.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote that committing Spain to spend 5% of its GDP on defense would be 'unreasonable' and 'counterproductive,' and Spain was granted an exemption from this higher spending goal by NATO.
European and Canadian defense spending as a share of GDP increased from 1.66% in 2022 to 2.02% in 2024, with 23 NATO members now spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense, up from six in 2021.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy attended the summit to highlight the importance of NATO's support for Ukraine, emphasizing collective security amid Russia's war on Ukraine as a key factor driving increased defense spending and alliance unity.
While US President Trump has championed the 5% defense spending target for NATO allies, he suggested that the US itself may not be held to the same standard, noting that the US currently spends around 3.2 to 3.4% of its GDP on defense and citing its decades of financial support to NATO countries.
History
- 1h28 articles
- 16h5 articles
- 19h3 articles
- 1d8 articles