THE HAGUE, June 25 — Nato leaders gathered in The Hague on Wednesday for a summit tailor-made for United States (US) President Donald Trump, with European allies hoping a pledge to hike defence spending will prompt him to dispel doubts about his commitment to the alliance.
The summit is expected to endorse a higher defence spending goal of five per cent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — a response to a demand by Trump and to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged that it was not easy for countries to find the extra money but said it was vital to do so.
"There is absolute conviction with my colleagues at the table that, given this threat from the Russians, given the international security situation, there is no alternative," he told the press.
Debate over Nato mutual defence pledge
Nato officials are hoping the conflict between Israel and Iran and the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites at the weekend will not overshadow the gathering, hosted by Rutte in his home city.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whose country borders Russia and joined Nato two years ago, said the alliance was evolving.
"I think we are witnessing the birth of a new Nato, which means a more balanced Nato and a Nato which has more European responsibility," he told the press.
Trump has threatened not to protect Nato members if they fail to meet spending targets and again raised doubts about his commitment on his way to the summit by avoiding directly endorsing the alliance's Article Five mutual defence clause.
Speaking to the press aboard Air Force One, he said there were "numerous definitions" of the clause.
"I am committed to saving lives. I am committed to life and safety. And I am going to give you an exact definition when I get there," Trump said.
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(from left to right) Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and United States President Donald Trump in discussions at the Nato summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. — Picture by REUTERS[/caption]
The new spending target — to be achieved over the next 10 years — is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of two per cent of the GDP, although it will be measured differently.
Countries would spend 3.5 per cent of their GDP on core defence, including on troops and weapons, and 1.5 per cent on broader defence-related measures like cyber security, protecting pipelines, and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles.
All Nato members have backed a statement enshrining the target, although Spain declared it does not need to meet the goal and can meet its commitments by spending much less.
Rutte disputes that, but accepted a diplomatic fudge with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as part of his efforts to give Trump a diplomatic victory and make the summit go smoothly.
Trump displayed the extent of those efforts on Tuesday by publishing a private message in which Rutte lavished praise on him and congratulated him on "decisive action in Iran".
"You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done. Europe is going to pay in a BIG way as they should, and it will be your win," Rutte told Trump.
Rutte has also kept the summit and its final statement brief and focused on the spending pledge to avoid any friction with Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had to settle for attending the pre-summit dinner on Tuesday evening rather than the main meeting on Wednesday. However, Trump said they would probably meet separately.
Zelenskiy and his aides have said they want to talk to Trump about buying US weapons, including Patriot missile defence systems, and increasing pressure on Moscow through tougher sanctions.
The Kremlin accused Nato of being on a path of rampant militarisation and portraying Russia as a "fiend of hell" to justify its big increase in defence spending.
— Reuters
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Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (left) and United States President Donald Trump (right) attend a dinner with Nato heads of state and government at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch ahead of the Nato Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24, 2025. — Picture by REUTERS[/caption]
