U.S. expecting NATO members to show them the money at leaders’ summit

The annual NATO leaders’ summit is set to take place with a new focus on increasing defence spending among member nations. Hosted by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Netherlands, the summit will be attended by Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The main agenda item at the summit is the proposal to increase the benchmark for defence spending from the current two per cent of the gross domestic product to a combined five per cent. This would include 3.5 per cent for direct military funding and an additional 1.5 per cent for defence infrastructure. Canada, in particular, has pledged to increase its defence spending by $9.3 billion this year to meet the existing two per cent target.

While some reports suggested that all NATO countries agreed to reach the five per cent target over the next decade, there is skepticism among certain member nations. Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed concerns about the significant increase in spending required to meet this target. However, former U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker emphasized the importance of all countries committing to the target to address growing security threats.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that the current two per cent target is insufficient to address modern security challenges and that the alliance must ramp up defence spending. He expressed confidence that Canada and other member nations can achieve the five per cent goal with effective procurement and planning.

In addition to the focus on defence spending, the summit will also address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy only being invited to attend the leaders’ dinner, Rutte emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine in the fight against aggression.

Overall, the NATO leaders’ summit promises to be a crucial gathering where member nations will discuss and commit to increasing defence spending to address evolving security threats. The outcomes of the summit will shape the future of the alliance and its ability to respond to global challenges.