At the June 24 to June 25, 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, the 32 member states issued a concise declaration emphasizing burden sharing, collective defense and shared security challenges. The 2025 NATO summit brought together 45 heads of state, foreign affairs ministers, and defense ministers, along with 6,000 delegates, marking the first time the Netherlands hosted such an event.
The summit’s headline outcome was a historic commitment to significantly increase defense spending: allies agreed to allocate 5% of their GDP annually to defense by 2035, a substantial rise from the previous 2% target. This new spending framework is divided into two components: 3.5% for “core” defense expenditures (including personnel, equipment and operational readiness) and 1.5% for broader security and resilience efforts — such as cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, research and development and civil defense. In a joint statement, NATO leaders declared that these commitments would “strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities amid growing security challenges,” particularly those posed by Russia and terrorist threats. While this commitment shows intent, economic feasibility is debated, with some nations such as Spain expressing reservations due to budget strains. Political will varies, but the decision reflects a response to perceived Russian threats, potentially stimulating defense sector growth.
Overall, the NATO summit was a significant event for the transatlantic alliance, addressing defense spending, support for Ukraine and US leadership under President Donald Trump. This summit, described as “transformational” and “historic,” set new benchmarks and reaffirmed collective defense commitments. The summit declaration confirmed that direct contributions to Ukraine’s defense and industry count toward the 5% spending, integrating Ukraine’s security into NATO’s strategy. This inclusion aims to sustain support for Ukraine, though implementation may vary, affecting burden-sharing within NATO.
Trump, previously critical of NATO for low spending, appeared to soften his stance post-summit, calling the 5% target a “big win” and reaffirming US commitment
. These decisions were driven by US pressure, particularly from Trump, and perceived Russian threats, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warning that Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.
While the commitment reflects a strategic response to security threats, economic constraints and political differences suggest implementation will be challenging. The German chancellor emphasized that the increase is necessary to counter Russia, not just to appease the United States, indicating a shift in European security priorities
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European leaders have also cautioned that a significant US drawdown in Europe would compel allies to fill the resulting security gaps. In public remarks, US Secretary of State Rubio referred to The Hague meeting as “the Trump Summit,” attributing the alliance’s renewed commitment to higher defense spending to the president’s longstanding demands. At the press conference, Trump hailed the spending pledge as “a great victory,” expressing hope that a substantial portion of the additional funds would be used to purchase US-made military equipment. Allied officials, including the NATO secretary-general, publicly thanked the US leadership for its role in driving this outcome.
The summit also reaffirmed NATO’s foundational principle of solidarity. Leaders “reaffirmed our ironclad commitment” to Article 5 mutual defense, pledging that an attack on one ally remains an attack on all. Although Trump initially cast doubt on this guarantee — saying, “It depends on your definition of Article 5” — he ultimately declared at the summit’s conclusion, “I stand with it…if I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”
Other key themes included continued support for Ukraine, though not immediate NATO membership. While the communiqué omitted detailed language about Ukraine’s “irreversible path” to membership for the sake of brevity, it did affirm that Ukraine’s security “contributes to our own,” and pledged to count allied support for Ukraine as part of defense contributions. Secretary-General Rutte later clarified that the summit’s four-paragraph statement focused exclusively on core issues and did not reflect any change in principle regarding Ukraine’s future in NATO. Also high on the agenda were allied efforts to enhance military mobility, replenish strategic stockpiles and better integrate the defense industry. Joint technology and innovation initiatives were highlighted as key components of implementing NATO’s Deterrence and Defense Plans.
Meanwhile, other expected issues — from Middle Eastern crises, except for the Israel-Iran conflict, to Chinese security challenges — were largely sidelined in favor of a renewed focus on transatlantic solidarity and deterrence. The EU’s recent measures (e.g., allowing member states to exceed debt limits for defense spending and launching a 150 billion euro defense loan fund) underscored Europe’s parallel efforts to shoulder more responsibility for its own security. NATO leaders aim to review progress toward the new 5% defense spending targets by 2029 and make adjustments as needed, but the central message was clear: a new transatlantic security bargain is emerging, centered on bold commitments and renewed reassurance of mutual defense.
NATO leaders reiterated this tone. Secretary-General Rutte publicly thanked Trump for making “Europe pay in a BIG way” on defense, jokingly referring to him as “daddy.” Other leaders adopted flattering slogans — Lithuania’s president, for instance, reportedly suggested “Make NATO Great Again.” In short, the summit atmosphere was far more cordial than in 2017 or 2018, suggesting that allied governments were deliberately courting Trump’s favor. Does this signal a genuine shift in Trump’s stance on the alliance? Perhaps only partially. On the one hand, his public reaffirmation of Article 5 and support for the summit’s outcomes offered relief after months of ambiguity. By securing the defense spending increases he long demanded, Trump arguably strengthened NATO’s conventional capabilities in line with US strategic priorities. On the other hand, many observers caution that Trump’s softened rhetoric may be largely tactical. His sudden praise for allies contrasts sharply with years of calling NATO “obsolete” or “broke.”
The summit marked a new phase for the transatlantic alliance. The inclusion of Ukraine-related support in the 5% spending metric enhances NATO’s strategic coherence, while Trump’s tempered tone offers a temporary reprieve from past tensions. However, meeting the 5% target will require European governments to navigate serious economic and political obstacles, and Trump’s longer-term engagement remains uncertain. As NATO looks ahead to its 2026 summit in Türkiye, the alliance’s ability to implement these commitments will be critical for preserving unity and deterring emerging threats.
