Summary
NATO leaders agreed to increase defense spending to 5 percent of each member country's economic output by 2035. This new target comes as a response to growing concerns about threats from Russia, requiring countries to significantly increase their military budgets over the next decade.
Key Facts
- NATO will increase defense spending from 2 percent to 5 percent of GDP for each member nation by 2035.
- This decision was made at a NATO summit in The Hague, influenced by perceived threats from Russia.
- The new target divides spending into 3.5 percent for military needs and 1.5 percent for broader security, like infrastructure and cybersecurity.
- Currently, 23 of the 32 NATO countries meet the initial 2 percent GDP defense spending target.
- Poland spends the most on defense among NATO nations, with 4.1 percent of its GDP.
- The policy will be reviewed in 2029 to assess progress.
- Countries will seek their own funding sources for this increased defense budget.
- Some NATO members may spend more on defense than education if they meet the new target.
