Should the NATO allies increase their defence spending up to a level of 5% of GDP?
Most NATO allies are in agreement: 2% of GDP is the minimum level for defence spending. But 2% is not enough for NATO to meet all its goals. No decision has been made yet about the exact percentage needed. The allies are still discussing this. It is clear, however, that investments in defence and security will have to be increased. Amid the current threats it is important to invest more money, more rapidly.
At the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, the NATO allies agreed to spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by 2035. Of this amount, 3.5% is to go towards core defence requirements such as personnel, equipment and training. The remaining 1.5% will be invested in, for example, cybersecurity and the defence industry. The aim is to make NATO members better prepared to deal with the threats they face. The Netherlands is also committed to meeting this target. Read more about what the allies agreed at the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague.