Rome: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed full confidence that the Alliance's 32 member states will reach an agreement on increasing defense spending during the upcoming NATO summit, scheduled for Jun. 24-25 in The Hague, Netherlands.
According to Qatar News Agency, Rutte spoke at a meeting in Rome with European ministers and diplomats, expressing hopes that member states will commit to allocating 3.5% of their GDP to military spending and an additional 1.5% to broader security expenditures, including border protection and cybersecurity. He stated that he is confident they will arrive at a common position.
Rutte noted that he had discussed defense spending and support for Ukraine with European allies, which includes France, Germany, and Italy. He added that final decisions on the matter are still under discussion.
Following the meeting, a joint statement was issued by Rutte and the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. It emphasized the need for greater European responsibility in safeguarding their security and said that the NATO summit in The Hague will reflect their unity. This unity is rooted in a transatlantic bond, a commitment to mutual defense, and a balanced sharing of responsibilities.
The ministers reiterated their support for Ukraine and welcomed international efforts aimed at securing a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.
The proposed defense spending targets align with calls made by US President Donald Trump, urging European and Canadian allies to allocate at least 5% of their GDP to defense.