NATO Allies Agree to Raise Defense Spending to 5% of GDP; Trump Elated and Supports Continued U.S. Membership in NATO | WPN World People News

On June 24–25, a NATO summit was held in The Hague, Netherlands. Following the summit, NATO leaders issued a five-point statement reaffirming unity and pledging that member nations would commit 5% of their annual GDP to defense and security spending by 2035. This increase is intended to address the long-term threat posed by Russia and to enhance transatlantic defense industry cooperation. The next NATO summit in 2026 will be held in Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump made a special trip to the Netherlands to attend the summit. Before boarding his flight, he expressed frustration—using explicit language—over Israel and Iran exchanging missile fire despite agreeing to a ceasefire. During a media session alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump likened the Israel-Iran conflict to "two unruly children fighting," to which Rutte responded by comparing Trump to a father trying to mediate a quarrel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke with Trump at the summit in what was reported to be a positive and constructive interaction. Trump stated he might provide additional Patriot missiles to Ukraine to defend against ongoing Russian airstrikes. He also acknowledged that negotiating a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire has proven "much more difficult than expected," noting that "Putin is not easy to deal with" and admitting there had been issues with Zelenskyy in the past as well.

Trump used the context of the Russia-Ukraine war to underscore the urgency and importance of a strong defense industrial base. He stressed that NATO members must not rely on foreign adversaries for critical minerals. In May, the U.S. and Ukraine signed a mineral agreement to secure natural resources and ensure continued American support for Ukraine.

As a response to these concerns—and aligning with Trump’s long-standing demands—the joint statement from the summit declared that NATO allies would raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP. Of this, 3.5% will go toward core defense needs, and 1.5% will be allocated to protecting infrastructure and strengthening the defense industrial base.