Only 3 NATO countries meet new target - All member countries will reach old spending threshold this year
All NATO member countries will reach the old defense spending target of 2% of GDP this year, but only three countries currently meet the new higher target, set by alliance leaders in June.
Many NATO countries have significantly increased military budgets in recent years, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and demands from US President Donald Trump that European allies invest more in their defense.
Data shows that as of last year, more than 10 of the alliance's 32 members were not meeting the 2% target, which was agreed in 2014. But by 2025, all allies are expected to meet this target, with seven of them at the minimum limit of 2.0% and several others just above this level.
Poland is the NATO member that spends the most on defense relative to its economy (4.48%), followed by Lithuania with 4% and Latvia with 3.73%. These are the only member states that currently exceed the new defense spending target of 3.5% of GDP, agreed at the June summit in The Hague.
NATO leaders have agreed to achieve this target by 2035, as part of a broader goal to spend 5% of GDP on defense and security-related investments. This spending includes cybersecurity and improving infrastructure for transporting heavy military equipment.
Speaking at the inauguration of a munitions factory in Germany, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the increase in defense spending by member countries, but stressed that it is important that these funds are converted into real military capabilities.
"Money in itself does not bring security. Deterrence does not come from 5%, but from the ability to fight against potential enemies," the alliance leader said.
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