NATO member states have agreed to a significant increase in defense spending, committing to invest five percent of their respective GDPs on defense and security-related expenses by 2035. This agreement, solidified at the summit in The Hague, aims to bolster the alliance’s ability to counter future threats and reflects a unified stance against potential adversaries.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the necessity of this substantial investment in light of current security challenges. The agreement stipulates that a minimum of 3.5 percent of GDP will be directly allocated to defense, with an additional 1.5 percent earmarked for investments that support defense and security initiatives.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen echoed this sentiment, stating the unanimous agreement among all NATO countries to allocate five percent of GDP to defense. She underscored the urgency of this commitment given the prevailing security landscape. Frederiksen also highlighted that this unified decision sends a strong message to those who threaten the West.

The summit declaration directly identifies Russia as the primary reason for the need to rearm. The agreement to name Russia as the main threat comes after concerns that the United States, under President Donald Trump, would block language that could disrupt negotiations with Russia.

The declaration also reaffirms NATO’s commitment to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, the “musketeer oath,” which asserts that an attack on one member is an attack on all. This commitment ensures that the US, along with the other 31 member countries, will defend any member that comes under attack. The statement underlines the alliance’s united and steadfast determination to protect its one billion citizens, defend the Alliance, and secure freedom and democracy.

President Trump’s support for the declaration, including the increase in defense spending, fulfills a long-standing wish of successive American presidents: that Europe should shoulder more of the financial burden for its own security. While the agreed-upon timeline allows NATO countries ten years to meet the five percent goal, some leaders, like Prime Minister Frederiksen, advocate for a faster implementation.

Denmark, for example, aims to allocate 3.5 percent of its GDP directly to defense by 2030. The remaining 1.5 percent will be strategically invested in broader security measures such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, and defense against hybrid attacks.