What happens at a NATO Summit?
At a NATO Summit, heads of state and government, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Defence discuss global developments and their impact on Euro-Atlantic security. They focus on security-related issues that affect all of us, such as how we can bolster our collective defence and how we can strengthen our defence industry. By speaking about these issues with our allies, we can ensure our collective deterrence and shared values like freedom and democracy.
The Hague 2025
At the NATO Summit in The Hague in June 2025, the allies confirmed their joint commitment to safeguarding security, freedom and democracy. They underlined the importance of Article 5: an attack on one is an attack on all.
The NATO allies agreed to increase defence spending as well as broader defence- and security-related investments to 5% of gross domestic product annually. These agreements are known as the Hague Defence Investment Plan. Under the plan, 3.5% will be spent on core defence requirements and 1.5% on broader defence- and security-related areas such as cybersecurity, infrastructure and the defence industry. The NATO allies will work towards the 5% target in stages, meeting it by 2035.
The allies also agreed to step up their cooperation on the defence industry, innovation and support for Ukraine. Progress will be assessed in 2029.