Trump says NATO countries should spend 5% of GDP on defense
Kyiv • UNN
Donald Trump has announced the need to increase NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP instead of the current 2%. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggests a possible increase in spending to 3% of GDP.
US President-elect Donald Trump has said that NATO countries should spend 5% of GDP on defense, more than doubling his demands on European allies compared to the current target. UNN reports this with reference to Bloomberg.
"I think NATO should have 5%. I made them pay 2%," Trump said during a press conference, referring to the pressure he exerted during his first term.
It is noted that no NATO country currently spends 5% of its gross domestic product on defense, including the United States.
Trump's threats to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have convinced many NATO members that they need to strengthen their own European defense.
Secretary General Mark Rutte has made it clear that NATO is likely to increase spending to at least 3% of GDP as it tries to set new requirements for arms and defense spending for its members.
Addendum
In December 2024, the Financial Times reportedthat Donald Trump's team informed European leaders of the new administration's intention to demand a significant increase in defense spending from NATO countries - up to 5% of their GDP.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saidthat if the newly elected US president withdraws from NATO, Putin will destroy all of Europe.
