NATO Agrees to Double Minimum Defense Spending Level to 5% of GDP

At the annual NATO summit, members of the alliance agreed to increase the minimum defense spending to 5% by 2035. The current minimum is 2% of GDP, a number that several states do not reach. 

The statement released by the bloc following the summit explains that the new policy will call for allies to spend 3.5% of GDP on traditional defense, and 1.5% on a nation’s critical infrastructure to reach the 5% target. The new minimum level will not take effect until 2025. 

“Allies agree that this 5% commitment will comprise two essential categories of defence investment.” The statement continues, “Allies will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP annually based on the agreed definition of NATO defence expenditure by 2035.”